China lifts ban on Spanish beef, strengthening trade ties amid concerns over EU protectionism

Photo: AFP/NurPhoto/Costfoto

Eurasia 26/02/2024 12:52

China has announced that it will lift a ban on imports of Spanish beef, a new beginning for EU beef exports after an embargo that lasted nearly one-quarter century.

The move was announced by Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi when he paid a visit to Spain, as Wang said that China regards Spain as a good and trustworthy partner in the EU and stands ready to inject new momentum into China-EU relations, Global Times reported.

Chinese experts said that the move shows the Chinese government's concrete efforts to enhance China-EU trade, a positive signal that China is opening up, amid rising trade protectionism in Europe.

The decision was first declared by Wang during a joint press conference with his Spanish counterpart José Manuel Albares in Cordoba, Spain on 18 February.

During the meeting, Wang highlighted the broadening of bilateral cooperation into new sectors, including electric vehicles, green energy and the digital economy, and he welcomed Spain to use various trade platforms to increase exports of high-quality products to China.

"Opening-up and cooperation is the endogenous driving force for the development of China-Spain relations," Wang said.

"When you take into account the size of the Chinese market, the impact is going to be extraordinarily positive," Albares was quoted as saying by AFP.

AFP/Xinhua/Li He

Since 2000, China has banned the EU from exporting beef products to China due to multiple cases of "mad cow" disease in several members of the bloc that year.

China's lifting of the restrictions on Spanish beef came after a slew of antitrust measures by the EU against China. The latest example was that the European Commission is investigating a subsidiary of Chinese rail giant CRRC to see whether there were subsidies to unfairly undercut European rivals. A major anti-subsidy investigation into Chinese electric vehicles was initiated in October 2023.

Regarding the dilemma, Chinese experts said that the lifted ban instead shows a positive signal that China is opening-up, instead of pursuing protectionism, and the comparison is surely to be seen by the whole world.

#EU-China relations #Spain #China

See Also

China addresses trade restrictions

China's Ministry of Commerce said Friday that dialogue and cooperation are the right path forward, in response to the U.S. lifting of a series of economic and trade restrictions on China, according to Xinhua.

Mongolia Pivot to Central Asia?

Mongolia has reached a critical juncture and is undergoing a process of foreign policy modernization. The burgeoning relations between Ulaanbaatar and Central Asian states signifies a strategic initiative aimed at balancing its partnerships with Russia and China. Since 2020, Mongolia has augmented its diplomatic activities with Central Asian countries, as evidenced by the Mongolian President's visit to Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan in 2024. Notwithstanding the prevailing positive development dynamics, economic relations between Mongolia and Central Asia remain modest but growing, particularly in trade with Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan, where exports have increased significantly.

Sri Lanka the only Asian nation in talks with US on tariffs

Sri Lanka is the only country in the Asia region currently engaged in discussions with US officials to renegotiate tariffs imposed under US President Donald Trump’s administration, according to deputy economic minister.

We use cookies on our website. If you consent to their use, we use them to measure and analyze the use of the website.
Information and Settings

China lifts ban on Spanish beef, strengthening trade ties amid concerns over EU protectionism

China has announced that it will lift a ban on imports of Spanish beef, a new beginning for EU beef exports after an embargo that lasted nearly one-quarter century.

Subscribe to Push Notifications

Settings