China Imposes Preliminary Tariffs on Certain EU Dairy Imports Amid Escalating Trade Dispute

China has imposed preliminary tariffs on selected dairy imports from the European Union following an investigation into subsidies granted to the sector, marking the latest development in a tit-for-tat trade dispute with the bloc.

In a preliminary ruling, China announced it will levy tariffs of up to 43% on some European dairy products after determining they benefited from EU subsidies, according to the Ministry of Commerce.

The ministry stated on its official website that the tariffs—collected in the form of deposits—apply to products including certain types of fresh and processed cheese as well as cream.

In a separate statement, the ministry noted that French dairy company Fromarsac will face a tariff rate of 30%, while some subsidiaries of Dutch cheese producer FrieslandCampina will be subject to tariffs of up to 43%.

Rising Trade Tensions

Although the proposed Chinese measures are limited in scope, they risk further escalating trade tensions with Europe. In October last year, the European Union voted to impose tariffs of up to 45% on Chinese electric vehicles and has launched investigations into government subsidies across multiple sectors.

Beijing initiated its probe into EU dairy shipments in 2024 and extended it by an additional six months in August, citing the “complexity of the case.” Last week, China also imposed anti-dumping duties ranging between 5% and 20% on EU pork imports, easing earlier provisional measures introduced in September.

The European Union has challenged the dairy investigation by requesting consultations through the World Trade Organization. According to a government report, the United States, the United Kingdom, and Japan topped the list of destinations for EU cheese exports so far in 2025.