On June 19, the Ministry of Commerce issued a reminder regarding the implementation of the 2026 Beef Safeguard Measures. According to the Ministry of Commerce Announcement No.87 of 2025, imports of beef from Australia under the beef safeguard measures had reached 100% of the prescribed country-specific volume as of June 18. In accordance with the announcement, starting at 00:00 on June 20 (the 3rd day after the trigger level is reached), an additional 55% tariff will be imposed on beef imported from Australia on top of the current applicable tariff rate, until the end of the annual safeguard measure period.
Safeguard tariffs are a volume-triggered mechanism China applies to agricultural imports from certain trading partners, and differ in nature from anti-dumping or countervailing duties. They apply when import volumes exceed the annual country-specific quota. Australia is one of China’s important sources of beef supply, and this year’s quota was exhausted by mid-June, earlier than in previous years, reflecting a continued rise in Australian beef imports following the warming of bilateral trade relations. Once the additional tariff takes effect, the cost of subsequent Australian beef imports will increase significantly; traders must complete customs clearance before the quota is exhausted to avoid the extra tax burden.