China launches anti-dumping probe into EU pork imports

BEIJING - China said it had launched an anti-dumping investigation into pork imports from the European Union, the latest step in a mounting trade stand-off between the bloc and its largest economic partner.

Pork is China's most popular meat and a staple of diets in the world's second most populous nation.

Imports of pork and pork by-products from EU nations totalled over three billion dollars last year, Beijing's customs data showed.

The probe is in response to an application submitted by a local trade grouping on behalf of domestic producers, Beijing said.

"The Ministry of Commerce has opened an anti-dumping investigation into imports of relevant pork and pig by-products originating from the European Union," the ministry said in a statement.

It follows the bloc's decision last week to slap additional tariffs of up to 38 percent on Chinese electric car imports from next month after an anti-subsidy probe.

The European Commission pointed to "unfair subsidisation" in China, which it said "is causing a threat of economic injury" to EU electric car makers.

The European Commission has proposed provisional hikes of tariffs on Chinese manufacturers of 17.4 percent for market major BYD, 20 percent for Geely and 38.1 percent for SAIC.