BEIJING, Mar 08 (V7N) — China has announced it will impose tariffs on a range of Canadian agricultural products, including rapeseed oil and pork, in response to levies imposed by Ottawa on Chinese goods last year.

The Chinese commerce ministry stated that it will apply a 100 percent tariff on imported rapeseed oil, oil cakes, and peas from Canada. Additionally, aquatic products and pork will face a 25 percent tariff. These measures are set to take effect on March 20.

This move comes after Canada placed 100 percent tariffs on Chinese electric vehicle imports in August 2024, aligning with similar measures by the United States to protect its market from state-subsidized Chinese vehicles. Ottawa also introduced a surtax on steel and aluminum imports from China.

Beijing's commerce ministry concluded an investigation into these Canadian tariffs, finding that they "disrupted the normal trade order and harmed the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese enterprises." A ministry spokesperson urged Canada to "immediately correct its bad practices, lift its restrictive measures and eliminate its negative effects."

Canada is a major global producer of canola, and China has historically been a significant market for its exports. However, bilateral relations between the two countries have been strained since 2018, when Canada detained Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou, leading to retaliatory arrests by China.

The new tariffs also come amid escalating trade tensions with the United States for both Canada and China, particularly with the introduction of new tariffs under President Donald Trump.

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