China’s 55% beef tariff hits Australia as China caps imports for 2026
China will charge an additional 55% tariff on beef imports that exceed new country quotas, tightening access for Australia and other major suppliers under a three-year safeguard system that began at the start of 2026. For 2026, China set quotas of 1.1 million metric tons for Brazil, 205,000 for Australia and 164,000 for the United States, and said the limits would rise gradually each year. South China Morning Post Australia exported more than 295,000 metric tons of beef to China in the first 11 months of 2025, and the Australian Meat Industry Council said the new settings could cut those exports by about a third and cost the sector about $1 billion. China’s commerce ministry set a combined 2026 quota of 2.7 million metric tons for countries covered by the measures and said the system would run for three years from Jan. 1. Brazil said it would work with China bilaterally and through the World Trade Organization to mitigate the impact. ABC
