On October 16, 2018, Brazil made a consultation request under the WTO dispute settlement mechanism on Chinese administrative measures concerning the imports of sugar. An official in charge of the Department of Treaty and Law of MOFCOM makes a statement in this regard.
China has received Brazil’s consultation request. As one of the critical agricultural products in China, sugar has a close bearing on the economic benefits of over 400 million sugar farmers in China. The rise in sugar imports has severely injured Chinese sugar industry. In response to domestic industry’s requirements, the government of China has used safeguard measures on imported sugars in accordance with relevant laws. In the meantime, the sugar tariff quota measure is an administrative method in trade that was clearly reserved when China joined the WTO. The automatic import licensing of commodities by China is necessary for effectively monitoring imports of goods. China believes that the above-mentioned administrative measures on sugar imports are in line with China’s WTO commitments and relevant WTO rules.
China will properly deal with Brazil’s consultation requests pursuant to the procedures of WTO dispute settlement mechanism.
