TMTPost -- China is accelerating preparation of possible countermeasure on heels of the European Union’s decision to impose new tariffs on Chinese-made electric vehicles (EVs).

Credit：the European Commission

The Ministry of Commerce of China (MOFCOM) said Friday  that it will hold an anti-dumping hearing on brandy imported from the EU on July 18, 2024.The hearing will be about industrial damage, cause and effect, and public interest in the anti-dumping probe of related brandy products, the ministry said in its statement.

The hearing, in response to request from the brandy houses Martell, Societe Jas Hennessy & Co, Rémy Martin and other stakeholders, aims to ensure that the investigation procedure is fair, just and transparent, said the statement.

China started an anti-dumping investigation into brandy imported from the EU on Jan. 5, 2024. The probe would look at EU-produced brandy in containers holding less than 200 liters imported from Oct. 1, 2022 to Sept. 30, 2023, MOFCOM has said. It would also investigate any damage done to the Chinese brandy industry from Jan. 1, 2019 to Sept. 30, 2023. The probe is expected to end before Jan. 5, 2025, but may be extended for half a year under special circumstances, according to the ministry.

China's investigation has complied with the rules of the World Trade Organization and domestic laws, fully safeguarding the legitimate rights and interests of all stakeholders, a spokesperson for the ministry said in June.

The announcement of hearings on EU-made brandy came a day after the EU announced its additional tariffs on EV imports from China. The European Commission announced Thursday it imposed provisional countervailing duties of up to 37.6%, on top of the ordinary BEV import duty of 10%, on imports of battery electric vehicles (BEVs) from China. The executive arm of the EU concluded through an anti-subsidy investigation that the BEV value chain in China benefits from unfair subsidization, which is causing a threat of economic injury to EU BEV producers.

MOFCOM signaled last month anti-dumping measures against EU pork and dairy imports amid EV tariff threat. China initiated an anti-dumping investigation into certain pork and pig by-products imported from the EU from June 17. If the EU’s dumping practice has been confirmed after China’s preliminary investigation and has caused damage to Chinese domestic industries, temporary anti-dumping measures might be taken in accordance with WTO rules and China's anti-dumping regulations, He Yadong, spokesperson for MOFCOM responded a question about whether China will levy temporary tariffs on pork imports from the EU last Friday.

When asked about whether China will open anti-dumping probe on EU dairy imports, the spokesperson He said that the investigation agency will review applications filed by domestic industries in accordance with the law. "If the conditions for filing a case are met, the investigation agency will start the filing procedure, and disclose and release announcements in accordance with the law," said He.

Yuyuan Tantian, a social media influencer affiliated with state broadcaster China Central Television (CCTV), reported last month China is promoting introduction of procedures related to tariff hike on gasoline cars with large displacement engine, more exactly, gasoline cars powered by engines larger than 2.5 liters. Besides possible tariffs on cars, Yuyuan Tantian indicated China can slap with additional brandy import duties since the government is set to announce preliminary decision on the imports.

MOFCOM signaled last month anti-dumping measures against EU pork and dairy imports amid EV tariff threat. China initiated an anti-dumping investigation into certain pork and pig by-products imported from the EU from June 17. If the EU’s dumping practice has been confirmed after China’s preliminary investigation and has caused damage to Chinese domestic industries, temporary anti-dumping measures might be taken in accordance with WTO rules and China's anti-dumping regulations, He Yadong, spokesperson for MOFCOM responded a question about whether China will levy temporary tariffs on pork imports from the EU.

When asked about whether China will open anti-dumping probe on EU dairy imports, the spokesperson He said that the investigation agency will review applications filed by domestic industries in accordance with the law. "If the conditions for filing a case are met, the investigation agency will start the filing procedure, and disclose and release announcements in accordance with the law," said He.