China will impose 55% tariffs on beef imports exceeding quotas from Brazil, Australia, the US and Argentina from January 1, citing damage to its domestic industry.
BEIJING: China will impose additional 55% tariffs on certain beef imports from countries including Brazil, Australia and the United States from January 1.
The tariffs apply to imports exceeding assigned annual quotas and will remain in effect for three years, until December 31, 2028.
China’s commerce ministry said an investigation found beef imports had damaged the domestic industry. The probe covered fresh, frozen, bone-in and boneless beef.
The ministry described the levies as “safeguards” and said they would be gradually relaxed. Quotas for each country will expand slightly each year.
“The implementation of safeguards on imported beef is intended to temporarily help the domestic industry get through difficulties, not to restrict normal beef trade,” a ministry spokesperson said.
In 2026, Brazil has an import quota of 1.1 million tons while Argentina has a cap of roughly half that amount. Australia faces a quota of around 200,000 tons and the United States one of 164,000 tons.
The ministry also announced the suspension of part of a free trade agreement with Australia covering beef.
Brazil, the world’s largest meat exporter, said it intended to “work with the Chinese government, both bilaterally and within the WTO (World Trade Organization) framework, to mitigate the impact” of the new measure.
Brazil’s foreign ministry stated the country was the main supplier of beef to China, which accounted for 52% of its foreign sales of the commodity in 2024.
The price of beef in China has trended downwards in recent years, with analysts blaming oversupply and weaker demand amid an economic slowdown.
