The Ministry of Commerce Photo: VCG
In response to a media inquiry regarding a recent hearing on an investigation into imported beef, China's Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) said on Tuesday that it has recently held a hearing regarding a safeguard investigation on imported beef. Chinese experts said that it was a "necessary step" to protect domestic industries while adhering to relevant laws and regulations.
The hearing was held in response to applications from stakeholders and followed established legal procedures, the trade remedy investigation bureau of the MOFCOM said in a notice posted on its official website on Tuesday.
The participants included officials from Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, Australia, New Zealand and the US, as well as those from exporters and their associations, Chinese importers and domestic beef producers.
A total of 75 parties attended the hearing, with about 180 participants who fully expressed their opinions and concerns during the hearing. The investigation authorities will consider these views in accordance with the law and make an objective and fair decision based on the facts and regulations, the MOFCOM said on Tuesday.
In response to an application submitted by the China Animal Agriculture Association and nine industry associations from major beef-producing regions on behalf of the domestic beef industry, China initiated a safeguard investigation into imported beef on December 27, 2024, the Xinhua News Agency reported.
Applicants said that the import volume of the product under investigation had seen a sharp increase in the past five years, growing 106.28 percent in the first half of 2024 compared with the same period in 2019, per the Xinhua report.
The sharp increase has significantly affected China's domestic industry, which has experienced substantial damage, and a causal relationship exists between the import volume increase and that substantial damage, they said.
China's beef imports rose 64.93 percent from 2019 to 2023, and more than doubled in the first half of 2024 compared with the level in 2019, according to the MOFCOM, citing the application document.
Rising beef imports have driven down domestic prices and strained local producers, Zhou Mi, a senior research fellow at the Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation, told the Global Times on Tuesday, adding that the hearing aimed to gather facts and ensure the probe remains fair, transparent and legally sound.
These actions aim to protect the domestic industry while remaining compliant with legal procedures and WTO rules, Li Chang'an, a professor at the Academy of China Open Economy Studies of the University of International Business and Economics, told the Global Times on Tuesday.
"If subsequent investigations reveal that foreign beef exporters have engaged in unfair competition or dumping, China's commerce authorities may take relevant remedy measures to help protect the legitimate rights and interests of domestic beef enterprises," Li said.
Despite the necessary move to investigate to determine the facts and safeguard the domestic industry, China's long-term beef demand remains strong, according to Zhou.
China's beef imports reached 2.875 million tons in 2024, up 4.8 percent year-on-year,
according to statistics from the General Administration of Customs. In 2024, China's biggest import sources of beef products were Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay.
