China has decided to impose new duties on dairy products from the EU following its anti-subsidy investigation initiated in August, 2025 into imported dairy products originating from the bloc.

A spokesperson for the Chinese Ministry of Commerce said (translated): "Since initiating the investigation, the Ministry of Commerce has consistently adhered to the principles of fairness, impartiality, openness, and transparency, strictly following Chinese laws and regulations and relevant WTO [World Trade Organisation] rules to fully protect the rights of stakeholders.

"Currently, preliminary evidence indicates that imported dairy products originating from the EU are subsidised, causing substantial injury to the relevant domestic industry in China, and that there is a causal link between the subsidies and the substantial injury.

"In accordance with the relevant provisions of the Anti-Subsidy Regulations of the People's Republic of China, the Ministry of Commerce issued a preliminary ruling on December 22, 2025 determining that the ad valorem subsidy rate for EU companies was between 21.9% and 42.7% , and decided to implement provisional anti-subsidy measures."

It's the latest move in a tit-for-tat economic row between the two trading economies.

China

Just last week China confirmed lower duties on its imports of pork from the EU, including Ireland.

Back in September, the country's Ministry of Commerce announced new tariffs as part of what it called a 'preliminary ruling' on its anti-dumping investigation.

The tariff was set up to 62.4% for most EU pig exporters, but there was a list of companies including four Irish companies that had to pay a lower rate of 20%. These duties took effect from September 10.

A spokesperson for the Chinese Ministry of Commerce said last week that it was at the request of the China Animal Husbandry Association that on June 17, 2024, the ministry initiated the anti-dumping investigation into imported pork and pork by-products originating from the EU.

On December 16, the Minister of Commerce issued a final ruling which determined that the tariff rate for EU companies would now range from 4.9% up to 19.8%.

The ministry has decided to implement final anti-dumping measures from December 17 for a period of five years, the spokesperson confirmed.