Imported Brazilian beef reaches 80% of China’s safeguard quota, to face additional 55% tariff once quota is fully exhausted: MOFCOM

巴西牛肉进口量达到中国保障措施配额的80%，配额用尽后，相关进口将加征55%关税： 商务部

The Ministry of Commerce of China File photo: VCG

中国商务部发布资料图：视觉中国（VCG）

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, China's Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) said on Wednesday.

中国商务部 (MOFCOM) 周三通报，周二巴西牛肉进口量已达到保障措施配额的80% %；配额用尽后，中方将依据保障措施，对相关进口巴西牛肉加征55% 关税。

The MOFCOM said that under the No.87 announcement issued on December 31, 2025, once imports reach the specified quantity, an additional tariff of 55 percent will be levied on top of existing duties beginning on the third day after the threshold is hit.

商务部表示，依据2025年12月31日发布的第87号公告，一旦进口量触及限额，自达标后的第三个工作日起，在现有关税基础上加征55% 关税。

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.

自2026年1月起，中国对自巴西，阿根廷，乌拉圭，新西兰，澳大利亚和美国等国进口牛肉设置国别配额，对超配额部分，适用55% 加征关税机制。

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.

巴西年度配额规模最高，为110万吨。纳入商务部保障措施范围的各国，2026年度合计保障措施配额总量为269万吨。

The authorities will issue notifications when import volumes reach 50 percent and 80 percent of each country's annual quota, the MOFCOM said.

商务部表示，当任一国家进口量达到其年度配额的50% 和80% 两个节点时，商务部将发布预警通知。

According to the MOFCOM, Brazil is China's largest source of beef imports, and China's imports of Brazilian beef have rapidly accelerated this year. He Yongqian, a MOFCOM spokesperson, told a press conference in June that China stands ready to maintain communication and advance the high-quality development of agricultural trade.

商务部信息显示，巴西是我国第一大牛肉进口来源国，本年度自巴西进口牛肉规模增速明显。商务部发言人何永前在6月举行的新闻发布会上称，中方愿持续开展沟通，助力农产品贸易实现高质量发展。

The MOFCOM also 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.

商务部同时说明，针对进口牛肉实施的保障措施旨在扶持国内产业应对现阶段困境，并非对正常贸易设置限制。这套国别配额机制对配额外进口商品征收附加关税，属于适度的调控政策。

The measure offers relief to the domestic industry and creates room for its development, while addressing the legitimate demands of trading partners and minimizing disruptions to regular trade, the MOFCOM said.

商务部表示，该项举措可为国内产业纾困，预留发展空间，兼顾回应贸易伙伴的合理诉求，最大程度降低对正常贸易秩序的冲击。

China imposed an additional 55 percent tariff on imported beef from Australia from June 20, after shipments from the country reached the annual quota under China's safeguard measures.

自6月20日起，中方对原产于澳大利亚的进口牛肉加征55% 附加关税，原因是澳方输华牛肉装运量已触及我国保障措施框架内的年度配额上限。

The core goal of China's beef safeguard measures is to balance imported beef trade and the high-quality development of the domestic industry. Instead of imposing blanket import bans, this mechanism effectively guarantees domestic beef supply and consumer demand, while reserving reasonable market access for foreign trading partners and creating a stable adjustment and development environment for the domestic beef industry, Li Guoxiang, a research fellow at the Rural Development Institute of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times on Wednesday.

我国牛肉保障措施的核心目标，是统筹进口牛肉贸易和国内产业高质量发展。中国社会科学院农村发展研究所研究员李国祥周三接受《环球时报》采访时表示，该机制并未采取一刀切式的进口禁令，在切实保障国内牛肉供应和满足消费者需求的同时，为境外贸易伙伴保留合理市场准入的空间，助力国内牛肉产业营造平稳转型发展环境。

He noted that before the implementation of the quota-based safeguard measures, massive inflows of low-cost overseas beef led to excess market supply amid relatively stable domestic consumer demand, squeezing the market share of domestic beef products and disrupting the normal operation of the domestic cattle and beef industry.

他提到，在实施配额制保障措施前，国内消费需求保持相对稳定，大量低价境外牛肉涌入造成市场供应过剩，挤占国产牛肉产品的市场份额，扰乱国内肉牛与牛肉产业的正常运作秩序。

"The tariff quota mechanism is a standard and compliant trade measure under WTO rules governing agricultural trade," Li said. "When surging imports of a specific product have severe impacts on domestic industries, economies are entitled to adopt legitimate regulatory tools including quota management and differentiated tariffs to mitigate industrial shocks. China's beef policy follows international common practices and is fully rules-based."

李表示：“关税配额机制是世贸组织农业贸易规则下的一项合规的贸易手段。若特定产品进口激增，对国内产业形成严重冲击，各经济体有权运用配额管理和差别关税等合法调控工具，缓释产业冲击。我国牛肉相关政策契合国际通行惯例，严格遵循规则。”