Facing E.V. Tariffs, China Threatens Pork Imports From Europe

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China on Monday threatened to impose tariffs on pork imports from Europe, in what appeared to be retaliation for the European Union’s decision last week to impose preliminary tariffs on electric cars imported from China. China’s Ministry of Commerce announced that it had opened an investigation into whether pork from the European Union was being dumped in China at unfairly low prices. The case could result in tariffs on dozens of products, from pork chops to pickled pig intestines. The ministry said it was acting in response to an application from the China Animal Agriculture Association, a government-affiliated group, and released a copy of the request. The association accused the European pork industry of benefiting from inappropriate government subsidies as it suffered from overcapacity — the same accusations that European and American officials have leveled against China’s car industry. Olof Gill, a spokesman for the European Commission, said in a statement that the European Union’s executive arm was analyzing China’s action and would “follow the proceeding very closely in coordination with E.U. industry and member states, and intervene as appropriate to ensure that the investigation fully complies with relevant” World Trade Organization rules.