China to impose anti-dumping EU pork duties for five years

China will impose "anti-dumping duties" ranging from 4.9 percent to 19.8 percent on some European Union pork and pork products, the country's commerce ministry announced Tuesday.

The levies are lower than temporary duties imposed in September, which ranged from 15.6 percent to 62.4 percent, but will be in place for five years.

The duties will be applied from December 17, after an anti-dumping investigation found imports from the bloc "were being dumped, and the domestic industry suffered substantial damages" as a result, the ministry said in a statement.

China's probe began last year as Brussels scrutinised Beijing's state subsidies for electric vehicles.

"At present, the domestic industry is facing difficulties, and there are strong calls for protection," a commerce ministry spokesperson said on Tuesday.

They added that the investigation's conclusions were "objective, fair, and impartial".

China -- the world's leading consumer of pork -- imported 4.3 billion yuan ($600 million) in pork products from major producer Spain alone last year, according to official Chinese customs data.

AFP