China hits out at EU brandy ‘threat’, signals car probe days after EV tariff vote
Martell, Remy Martin and Hennessy will be expected to pay at least 30 per cent ‘security charges’ for imports into China, but EU says it will challenge at WTO
02:38
Chinese bars wary after new tariffs announced on European brandy imports
China announced it would start to collect anti-dumping duties on European brandy imports from Friday – a move that the European Union plans to challenge at the World Trade Organization (WTO) – just days after Brussels voted to impose tariffs on Chinese-made electric vehicles (EVs).
In addition, China signalled that it could unleash tariffs on imported cars from the European Union to “protect the legitimate rights of Chinese industries and companies”, the Ministry of Commerce (Mofcom) said in a statement.
It also reiterated that its investigations into European pork and dairy products were ongoing.
For brandy imports, the security charge would be applied to imports under 200 litres (422 pints).
The ministry released a list detailing the rates that each company would be expected to pay, ranging from 30.6 per cent for Martell to 38.1 per cent for Remy Martin and 39 per cent for Hennessy.
