China responds to Canada’s EV tariffs with rapeseed probe
CHINA will start an anti-dumping probe into Canada’s rapeseed imports, with trade tensions escalating after Justin Trudeau’s government imposed tariffs on Chinese-made electric vehicles (EVs), steel and aluminium.
The Asian nation is initiating measures following relevant restrictive actions taken by Canada, according to a statement from the Ministry of Commerce. China will take all necessary actions to safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese companies, the agency added.
Canada announced a 100 per cent levy on electric cars and 25 per cent on steel and aluminium last month, joining Western allies to protect domestic manufacturers. Rapeseed is used to produce oil for cooking or industrial purposes, and China is the world’s second-biggest importer of the commodity.
More than 90 per cent of China’s total rapeseed imports last year were from Canada, totalling 5.15 million tonnes, according to Chinese customs data. The variety of the crop grown in Canada is also known as canola.
China has targeted Canada’s trade before, halting shipments of canola in 2019 following the arrest of a top Huawei Technologies executive in Vancouver on an American extradition request. The Asian nation has recently launched other probes, including into dairy imports from the European Union.
Canada’s rapeseed shipments were suspected of dumping and such unfair trade practices have caused losses locally, the ministry said, citing an appeal from the domestic sector.
The most actively traded rapeseed meal futures on China’s Zhengzhou Commodity Exchange surged as much as 5.7 per cent on Tuesday (Sep 3), while rapeseed oil rallied as much as 4.9 per cent. Canola futures in North America fell almost 6 per cent, the biggest intraday loss for the most active contract since August 2022.
Palm oil futures rose 1.1 per cent in Malaysia on speculation that the probe may spark increased demand for alternative oilseeds. BLOOMBERG
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