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China to Investigate E.U. Wine After Trade Action China to Investigate E.U. Wine After Trade Action
(about 4 hours later)
HONG KONG — China’s nouveau riche millionaires, wealthy princelings and bribegiving business executives may soon find their wallets a little thinner: The price tag for French Champagnes and Burgundies, Italian Barolos and Pinot Grigios and other European wines may soon rise in mainland Chinese stores.HONG KONG — China’s nouveau riche millionaires, wealthy princelings and bribegiving business executives may soon find their wallets a little thinner: The price tag for French Champagnes and Burgundies, Italian Barolos and Pinot Grigios and other European wines may soon rise in mainland Chinese stores.
Acting less than a day after the European Union said it was imposing preliminary import tariffs on Chinese solar panels, China’s Ministry of Commerce announced Wednesday that it had begun an anti-dumping and anti-subsidy investigation of wines imported from the European Union. The investigation could lead to the imposition of steep tariffs by China on these wines. Less than a day after the European Union said it was imposing preliminary import tariffs on Chinese solar panels, China’s Ministry of Commerce announced Wednesday that it had begun a trade investigation of wines imported from the European Union. The investigation could lead to the imposition of steep tariffs by China on these wines.
The European Union’s trade commissioner, Karel De Gucht, had announced Tuesday in Brussels that he was imposing preliminary anti-dumping tariffs of 11.8 percent on solar panels imported from China. But the Chinese commerce ministry carefully avoided linking the solar panels to the wine dispute in its announcement, saying instead that it was acting in response to a complaint from Chinese wineries. The European Union’s trade commissioner, Karel De Gucht, had announced Tuesday in Brussels that he was imposing preliminary tariffs of 11.8 percent on solar panels imported from China, saying the panels were being “dumped” in Europe at prices below what they cost to make. If Beijing was trying to send a retaliatory signal to Mr. De Gucht personally, wine might be a good target: He owns a 50 percent stake in a wine-producing estate in the Tuscany region of Italy.
The ministry issued a separate statement to express its “resolute opposition” to the solar panel decision. “We hope the E.U. will further show their sincerity and show flexibility, through consultations to find mutually acceptable solutions,” the statement said. The Chinese commerce ministry carefully avoided linking the solar panels to Wednesday’s announcement that it would investigate European wines for improper duties or subsidies, saying instead that it was acting in response to a complaint from Chinese wineries. But the ministry issued a separate statement expressing “resolute opposition” to the solar panel decision. “We hope the E.U. will further show their sincerity and show flexibility, through consultations to find mutually acceptable solutions,” the statement said.
The ministry did not indicate the possible level of import duties on European wines. The 27 countries of the European Union exported $980.7 million worth of wine to China last year, most of it from France, according to customs data compiled by Global Trade Information Services in Columbia, S.C. That sum is much smaller than Chinese exports of solar panels in the other direction, which had reached $27 billion in 2011 before a combination of trade frictions and cuts in European subsidies to buyers of solar panels started to discourage shipments.
The solar panel tariffs are about one-quarter of the 47.6 percent tariffs that Mr. De Gucht had planned to impose until the Chinese prime minister, Li Keqiang, began lobbying Germany and the European Commission heavily in the past week. Mr. De Gucht imposed the lower tariffs as a compromise but warned that they would rise to the originally planned level in two months if no deal could be negotiated before then to offset the effect of alleged Chinese dumping and subsidies. Threatening to retaliate against fine wines during a trade dispute with the European Union is time-honored tactic for international trade negotiators. Wine exporters are a powerful political constituency and national icons in some European countries, particularly France. A threat to limit their overseas sales is a way to bypass European leaders and appeal to public sentiment for a reduction in trade tensions. Mr. De Gucht was already bucking widespread opposition in Europe by taking on Beijing over solar panels, with a range of national politicians and executives from other industries eager to expand — not curtail — trading relations with China.
According to customs data compiled by Global Trade Information Services in Columbia, S.C., the 27 countries of the European Union together exported $980.7 million worth of wine to China last year. That was a sum much smaller than Chinese exports of solar panels in the other direction, which reached $27 billion in 2011, before a combination of trade frictions and cuts in European subsidies to buyers of solar buyers started to discourage shipments. In November 1992, in a dispute over European farm subsidies the United States announced that it was imposing a 200 percent tax, to take effect in 30 days, on imports of still white wines from Europe, like Chablis from France and riesling from Germany, and a few red wines. The two sides quickly reached a compromise.
World Trade Organization rules allow countries to impose tariffs so as to offset the effects of government subsidies or of dumping, which is the sale of goods in foreign markets for less than the cost of making them. W.T.O. rules ban the capricious use of anti-dumping and anti-subsidy cases and do not allow them to be imposed simply as retaliation for other countries’ trade actions; W.T.O. member states with such grievances are supposed to appeal to dispute resolution panels at the W.T.O. headquarters in Geneva instead of engaging in tit-for-tat escalation. Until now, China has tended to pursue retaliatory trade actions against industrial products, including imports of polycrystalline silicon, the main material for solar panels. That material is already the subject of a Chinese trade investigation after the United States imposed anti-dumping and anti-subsidy tariffs totaling about 30 percent on Chinese solar panels.
Threatening to retaliate against fine wines during a trade dispute with the European Union is one of the oldest tricks in the book for international trade negotiators. Wine exporters are a powerful political constituency and national icons in some European countries, particularly France. A threat to limit their overseas sales is a way to bypass European leaders and appeal to public sentiment in bars and cafes for a reduction in trade tensions. Ironically, the Chinese threat against wine imports has the potential to upset consumers in China — at least, some of the most affluent ones. The move might also end up impinging on some Chinese investors because growing wine consumption in China has prompted a surge of investment in French vineyards. In recent years, Chinese companies and business leaders have snapped up more than three dozen chateaus in Bordeaux, the wine region that has drawn the greatest interest from Chinese drinkers.
In November 1992, the United States announced that it was imposing a 200 percent tax, to take effect in 30 days, on imports of still white wines from Europe, like Chablis from France and riesling from Germany, and a few red wines in a dispute over European farm subsidies. The two sides quickly reached a compromise. The acquisitions involved mostly lesser-known vineyards among the close to 10,000 Bordeaux estates. Many of these properties have struggled in recent years to sell their wine in the traditional markets of Europe.
Until now, China has tended to pursue retaliatory trade actions against industrial products, including imports of polycrystalline silicon, the main material for solar panels, which is already the subject of a Chinese trade investigation after the United States imposed anti-dumping and anti-subsidy tariffs totaling about 30 percent on Chinese solar panels. Under the new Chinese owners, production in some cases is exported entirely to China, where the wine often is marked up substantially in price. Low-end Bordeaux that might sell for less than 5 euros, or $6.50, in France, might go for 5 or 10 times as much in China.
The Chinese threat against wine imports has the potential to upset consumers in China — at least some of the most affluent consumers. Philippe Casteja, president of the Conseil des Crus Classé en 1855, an organization representing elite chateau owners of Bordeaux, said punitive Chinese tariffs could cause substantial harm to the French economy, he said. About 500,000 people in France are employed in the wine industry. About 20,000 of those jobs, he said, are supported by sales to China, directly or indirectly.
Growing wine consumption in China has prompted a surge of investment in French vineyards. Chinese companies and business leaders have snapped up more than three dozen chateaus in Bordeaux, the wine region that has drawn the greatest interest from Chinese drinkers.
The acquisitions mostly involve lesser-known vineyards among the close to 10,000 Bordeaux estates. Many of these properties have struggled in recent years to sell their wine in the traditional markets of Europe.
In some cases, under the new Chinese owners, production is exported entirely to China. Because the wine is marked up substantially in China — low-end Bordeaux can sell for less than 5 euros, or $6.50, in France but 5 or 10 times as much in China — it is not clear how much effect the tariffs would have on Chinese-owned vineyards.
The new investments from China have also given rise to some protectionist sentiments in the French wine industry, which is closely associated with the country’s cultural heritage.
While Bordeaux has a long tradition of foreign ownership, local sensitivities were raised in another region, Burgundy, after Château de Gevrey-Chambertin was acquired last year by a Macau-based Chinese business executive. The far-right National Front called on the French government to block the transition, though without success.
Philippe Casteja, president of the Conseil des Crus Classé en 1855, an organization representing the elite chateau owners of Bordeaux, said he did not think French wines were being “dumped” in China. France accounts for the vast majority of European wine exports to China, about 800 million euros’ worth of sales last year.
The tariffs could cause substantial harm to the French economy, he said. About 500,000 people in France are employed in the wine industry; about 20,000 of those jobs are supported, directly or indirectly, by sales to China, he added.
“The potential effect is very serious, both in terms of revenue and employment,” Mr. Casteja said.“The potential effect is very serious, both in terms of revenue and employment,” Mr. Casteja said.
By choosing to investigate European wine exports, the Chinese have, perhaps unwittingly, delivered a personal message to the central figure in the burgeoning trade war between China and Europe. Mr. De Gucht, the E.U. trade chief, owns a 50 percent stake in a wine-producing estate in the Tuscany region of Italy. As for Mr. De Gucht’s own wine holdings, according to the personal financial declaration he filed last July as a European Commission official, the estate, called La Macinaia, is a small vineyard and a destination for “agriturismo,” a style of vacationing in farmhouse resorts.
According to Mr. De Gucht’s declaration of interests from last July, the estate, called La Macinaia, is a small vineyard and a destination for “agriturismo,” a style of vacationing in farmhouse resorts. The business, valued at 1 million euros, lost 145,313 euros in 2011 but still benefited from a small European Union subsidy of 1,500 euros as “biodynamic winery,” according to the declaration by Mr. De Gucht, who is a Belgian and a former president of the Flemish liberal party.
The business, valued at €1 million, lost €145,313 in 2011 but still benefited from a small E.U. subsidy of €1,500 as “bio-dynamic winery,” according to the declaration by Mr. De Gucht, who is a Belgian and a former president of the Flemish liberal party. Mr. De Gucht had a share in the property before taking office as European Union trade chief, said his spokesman, John Clancy. “There are no exports to China,” Mr. Clancy said.
Mr. De Gucht had a share in the property before taking office as E.U. trade chief, said his spokesman, John Clancy. “There are no exports to China,” Mr. Clancy said. While the Chinese trade case was immediate news in Europe Wednesday, it drew less attention in China, possibly because the Ministry of Commerce did not release a timetable for its investigation. Western governments have long complained that Chinese anti-dumping and anti-subsidy investigations are capricious exercises that seem to follow few of the complex but fairly transparent legal procedures used in the West.
But imposing tariffs on imported wine could also be consistent with President Xi Jinping’s broader populist effort to combat corruption in China, address the country’s huge disparities in income and wealth, and present himself as a man of the people. Some in China may be able to avoid the higher price tags for wine if they are imposed. Hong Kong eliminated taxes on wine several years ago in a fairly successful bid to become a wine trading hub, and the nearly autonomous territory has become a popular place for many mainlanders to drink and then bring a bottle or two home.
While the Chinese trade case was immediate news in Europe, it drew less attention in China, possibly because the Ministry of Commerce did not release a timetable for its investigation. Western governments have long complained that Chinese anti-dumping and anti-subsidy investigations are capricious exercises that seem to follow few of the complex but fairly transparent legal procedures used in the West.
Sales representatives at six wine shops in Beijing and Shanghai all said in telephone interviews Wednesday that they had not noticed any sudden increase in customer interest or purchases as a result of the government announcement. “Maybe the news of the pending wine tariff has not traveled fast enough,” said Jui Qin, a saleswoman at Vinolia Wine Shop in Beijing. “There has been no change in our business today so far compared to other days.”
Some in China may be able to avoid the higher price tags for wine if they are imposed. Hong Kong eliminated taxes on wine several years ago in a fairly successful bid to become a wine trading hub, and the nearly autonomous territory has become a popular place for many mainlanders to drink and bring a bottle or two home.
Extra taxes could also help another, more dubious Chinese industry: the entrepreneurs who print fake French labels and slap them on bottles of local plonk, some of it almost undrinkable.Extra taxes could also help another, more dubious Chinese industry: the entrepreneurs who print fake French labels and slap them on bottles of local plonk, some of it almost undrinkable.

Eric Pfanner contributed reporting from Serraval, France, James Kanter from Brussels and Hilda Wang from Hong Kong.

Eric Pfanner contributed reporting from Serraval, France, James Kanter from Brussels and Hilda Wang from Hong Kong.