China to slap additional 55% tariff on specific beef imports from US, Australia starting Jan 1

(AI-generated Image)

China on Wednesday announced that it will impose an additional 55% tariff on specific beef imports from countries such as Brazil, Australia, and the United States, effective January 1, reported AFP.

The tariff will be imposed on imports that exceed a certain quantity.

The country's commerce ministry stated that investigations revealed that these beef imports have negatively impacted China's domestic industry. The tariffs will affect fresh, frozen, bone-in, and boneless beef.

China has announced safeguard duties on imported beef after an official investigation found that rising overseas shipments were hurting the country’s domestic industry, the commerce ministry said.

The ministry added that the imports had caused damage to domestic producers, prompting the introduction of temporary safeguards.

Under the new rules, additional tariffs will apply for three years, until December 31, 2028, and will be gradually eased over time. Countries have been allocated annual import quotas, and shipments exceeding those limits will face an extra levy of up to 55%. The quotas will expand each year slightly.

For 2026, Brazil has been assigned an import quota of about 1.1 million tonnes, while Argentina’s cap is roughly half that. Australia’s quota stands at around 200,000 tonnes, and the United States at about 164,000 tonnes.

The ministry also said it was suspending part of a free trade agreement with Australia that applies to beef imports.

“The implementation of safeguards on imported beef is intended to temporarily help the domestic industry get through difficulties, not to restrict normal beef trade,” AFP quoted a spokesperson as saying.