China is the world’s largest importer of agricultural products. The United States is the world’s largest exporter of agricultural products. In the Sino-US economic and trade consultations, agriculture has always been a core issue.
Recently, Han Jun, deputy director of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, said in an exclusive interview with CCTV reporters that under the strong leadership of the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping as the core, we resolutely safeguard the core interests of the country and rationally handle the current Sino-US economic and trade issues. The necessary countermeasures not taken are rational and restrained. China will actively, steadily and orderly expand the opening up of agriculture.
The counter-measures adopted by China have been limited in their domestic influence through careful evaluation.
So far, China has published two batches of tariff lists for imported goods from the United States. In the first batch of lists, the Chinese side issued an announcement to impose a 25% tariff on US$50 billion of goods, involving a total of 517 agricultural products. In the second batch of lists, the Chinese side decided to impose tariffs on the approximately 60 billion US dollars of products imported from the United States according to the law at 25%, 20%, 10%, and 5%, involving 387 agricultural products. At present, nearly 90% of the agricultural products imported from the United States have been taxed.
Han Jun said that China has to make such counter-measures, and it has also been made on the basis of extensive solicitation of opinions and careful evaluation. China imposes tariffs on US agricultural products exported to China, which will have a great impact on the export of US agricultural products, but has limited domestic impact. “We are constantly assessing the effectiveness of these tax increases, especially for the domestic market, and we must ensure that the impact on domestic industries and people’s lives is minimized.”
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The advantage of US soybean exports to China has been lost
Influenced by the escalation of Sino-US economic and trade frictions, the impact of US agriculture can be foreseen. In the case of soybeans, US soybeans imported from China account for 60% of US soybean exports and more than six times that of the United States. China has adopted counter-measures and imposed a 25% tariff. The advantage of US soybean exports to China has been lost.
Han Jun pointed out that in the international market, agricultural products export is very competitive. If the US exports to China’s agricultural products are blocked, other countries have the willingness to replace the US market share. Now that the United States has provoked trade conflicts and continues to increase its weight, China is unwilling to fight trade wars. However, in the face of the continuous escalation of trade conflicts in the United States, it has to make necessary counter-measures.
China has adopted counter-measures against the United States, and imports from the United States will drop sharply. In order to prevent the linkage effect and increase the pressure on domestic food prices, the relevant departments have made thorough preparations. “For example, China can expand imports of soybeans from other countries such as Brazil, such as rapeseed meal, which can completely replace soybean meal. We have confidence and ability to ensure supply in the domestic market. We have this confidence.”
China will continue to expand agricultural opening up
In the past 40 years of reform and opening up, China has become the world’s largest importer of agricultural products, and agricultural imports account for 1/10 of the global agricultural trade. At present, China, such as soybeans, sugar, cotton and other agricultural products, are the world’s largest buyers. The development of agricultural products trade has effectively alleviated the pressure on domestic agricultural resources and the environment, ensuring the smooth operation of domestic supply and market.
“China’s agricultural opening up is also comprehensive. The export of agricultural products should be exported. We must give play to our comparative advantages and increase the income of farmers. We must actively participate in this import to meet the people’s growing demand for quality food and quality agricultural products. Demand.” Han Jun said that it will continue to expand its openness and actively increase imports. This is China’s established policy.
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