The Ministry of Commerce of China File photo: VCG

When asked whether China's commerce ministry will automatically apply safeguard tariffs this year if the import threshold is reached as Australian beef imports have reached 90 percent of the annual country specific quota volume as of June 1, China's Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) spokesperson He Yongqian said "To improve the transparency of the implementation of the measures, when a country's imports reach a certain percent of its annual quota and again when the quota is fully reached, the Ministry of Commerce and the General Administration of Customs will issue notices."

At a regular press briefing on Thursday, the ministry spokesperson He Yongqian stressed that the purpose of imposing safeguard measures on imported beef is to help the domestic industry weather its current difficulties, rather than to restrict normal trade.

According to a MOFCOM's announcement on Tuesday, imports of beef from Australia had reached 90 percent of the annual quota under its safeguard measures as of Monday, nearing the threshold for additional tariffs. A foreign reporter asked: If imports reach this threshold, will the ministry automatically apply safeguard tariffs this year? Or did the ministry consider other factors before making a decision?

He Yongqian stated that the ministry has issued an announcement on December 31, 2025, introducing safeguard measures on imported beef. The measures would be implemented in the form of country-specific tariff rate quotas. "Imported beef exceeding the specified quantities will be subject to additional tariff rate of 55 percent on top of existing duties starting from the third day after hitting the threshold," said the spokesperson.

He Yongqian added that to improve the transparency of the implementation of the measures, when a country's imports reach a certain percent of its annual quota and again when the quota is fully reached, the Ministry of Commerce and the General Administration of Customs will issue notice.

"I want to emphasize that the safeguard measures on imported beef are aimed at helping domestic industries overcome difficulties in the short term, not restricting normal beef trade," He Yongqian said.

The Chinese market has always been open, said the spokesperson, adding that China is willing to work with all parties to jointly maintain a stable and healthy international trade environment.

In recent years, rising living standards have fueled growing demand for beef, driving expansion in both domestic production and imports. According to a Ministry of Commerce survey, China's beef imports have surged in recent years, increasing 73.2 percent from 2019 to 2024, and its import prices have been significantly lower than domestic market prices, Xinhua News Agency reported.

China has decided to implement safeguard measures on imported beef from January 1, 2026 to December 31, 2028. The decision came after a final ruling of a safeguard investigation into imported meat of bovine animals, which was launched on December 27, 2024, according to a MOFCOM announcement.