China's Ministry of Commerce said the investigation was officially launched on Monday and is expected to conclude within 12 months, though it could be extended for a further six months.
The move comes as Beijing pushes back against new EU tariffs placed on Chinese electric vehicle imports.announced Monday it had opened an investigation into imported pork and its by-products originating from the EU, including pork offal, pig fat, pig intestines, bladders, and stomachs. "It will not be the first time that a probe announced in one jurisdiction is responded to in kind, so in view of the EU EV probe this is not a surprise," a spokesperson said in a statement sent to CNBC.said the probe was first initiated by a formal complaint by a domestic industry group, the China Animal Agriculture Association.
An investigating authority determined that the request met the criteria for launching an investigation in accordance with Chinese and World Trade Organization laws, the official added.