China Protests Japan's Tariffs on Agricultural Products

China Thursday voiced strong protest against Japan's trade protection tactic of imposing tariffs on three vegetables imported from China.

Wednesday, the Japanese Embassy in China informed the Chinese government in a letter that the Japanese side will impose emergency tariffs on green Chinese onions, fresh mushrooms and rushes starting from April 23.

Spokeswoman Gao Yan of the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation (MOFTEC) said the unilateral decision of the Japanese government to impose emergency tariffs has "seriously harmed Sino-Japanese trade relations" and "is against the rules of fair play."

Sino-Japanese trade on agricultural products has been developed through joint efforts from the industries of the two countries in line with Japan's actual market demand, Gao said, adding that China's agricultural products are widely welcomed by Japanese consumers.

The Japanese side, regardless of the facts, has violated the trade liberalization principle it advocates by setting emergency tariffs on the three vegetables, prior to sufficient consultations with the Chinese side and without drawing an objective, fair and practical conclusion, she said.

"The import limits have harmed the interests of China's exporters, manufacturers and farmers, as well as the interests of the Japanese industry and consumers," Gao said.

The spokeswoman stressed that the Japanese side should remove the tariffs.

"Meanwhile, China reserves the right to make further responses regarding the losses already incurred to the Chinese side," she concluded.

Japan to Impose Restriction on Some Chinese Farm Products

Related Japanese departments have decided to adopt emergency measures for restriction on the import of Chinese onions, mushrooms and rush plants in the period from April 23 to November 8.

According to a plan, during the 200 restriction days, Japan will boost the price of the three kinds of agricultural products imported from China to the level equal to domestic retailed price by raising tariffs. On the basis of the average import amounts from 1997 to 1999, the current 3-6 percent import tariff will be imposed on goods equivalent to the average amount within the 200 days, and a 106-266 percent tariff will be levied on that portion that exceeds the average import amount.





People's Daily Online --- http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/