London CNN —Beijing has launched an investigation into prices of pork from the European Union, targeting a major EU food export just days after Brussels hiked tariffs on electric vehicles from China.
A hike in import tariffs could be very costly for European pork producers if it ends up hurting demand in China, the world’s largest pork market and the main destination for EU pork exports.
The EU is the second-biggest pork producer after China.
According to EU customs data, the bloc exported more than €2.5 billion ($2.7 billion) worth of pork, including offal, to China last year.
Beijing had been widely expected to use targeted measures to try to dissuade EU officials from permanently adopting higher tariffs on electric cars imported from China, a decision the EU must make by November.
Persons:
Olof Gill, Gill, ”, Xu, Maisie Linford
Organizations:
London CNN —, European Union, China’s Ministry of Commerce, EU, European Commission, World Trade Organization, WTO
Locations:
London CNN — Beijing, Brussels, China, Beijing, Spain, Netherlands, Denmark, France, Europe