AreaChina (Mainland)
Commodity GroupOilseeds, oils and meals
CommoditySelected oilseeds, oils and meals
Date18/09/2018
Policy CategoryTrade
Policy InstrumentTrade dispute
DescriptionImplemented, effective 24 September 2018, retaliatory tariffs of 10 percent on selected, weakly traded oilseeds, vegetable oils/meals and fish oil/meal imported from the Unite States, plus rates of 5 percent on a number of other oilseeds, vegetable oils and meals of animal origin. The measure follows the earlier introduction of a 25 percent tariff on soybean imports from the US.
NotesAfter both sides imposed special tariffs on each others exports worth USD 50 billion in the JulyAugust period (see MPPU Aug.18), on 24 September, following fresh failures in bilateral talks, the two countries introduced additional tariffs. In the new round of trade measures, the United States introduced import tariffs of 10 percent on Chinese products worth USD 200 billion, adding that the rate could be raised to 25 percent on 1 January 2019. Affected commodities include a number of oilcrops and oilmeals, imports of which, however, have been negligible in recent years. At the same time, China introduced new tariffs on U.S. products worth USD 60 billion. For the oilcrops complex, Chinas additional tariffs amount to 10 percent for certain oilseeds (excluding soybeans, which had been targeted in the earlier round), vegetable oils/meals and fishoil/meal, and 5 percent for a number of other oilseeds, vegetable oils, and meals of animal origin. Again, in the recent past, China only imported small quantities of the earmarked oilseed products from the United States.