Photo: Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian

China is willing to maintain communication with Brazil and other relevant parties to further expand healthy and stable economic and trade cooperation, Lin Jian, spokesperson from China's Foreign Ministry told a press conference on Friday.

Lin made the remarks as the Chinese side issued a notice indicating that Brazil's beef export quota to China has been utilized by 80 percent. Brazil's Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Food Supply released a statement noting that China has implemented specific safeguard measures on imported beef exceeding the quotas of various countries and Brazil has received the largest quota, which has not yet been reached. The additional 55 percent tariff applies only to the portion exceeding the quota.

Lin said China has been Brazil's largest trading partner for 17 consecutive years. In the first half of this year, bilateral trade volume grew by nearly 30 percent year-on-year, and Brazil's exports to China accounted for more than 30 percent of its total exports. 

China has had a country-specific quota for imported beef from countries including Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, New Zealand, Australia and the US, and a 55 percent extra tariff mechanism on volumes above the quota since January 2026.  

Brazil has the largest import quota at 1.1 million tons annually. The total import quota for 2026 for countries covered under the ministry's safeguard measures is 2.69 million tons.

China's Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) said on Wednesday that imported Brazilian beef has reached 80 percent of the import quota on Tuesday, and once the quota is fully exhausted, China will impose an additional 55 percent tariff on imported Brazilian beef under China's safeguard measures.

The MOFCOM said that the safeguard measures on imported beef are designed to help the domestic industry weather current difficulties, rather than restrict normal trade. The country-specific quota system with additional tariffs on out-of-quota imports represents a moderate policy.

Global Times