The European Commission has launched a so-called anti-dumping investigation into imports of Chinese Peking duck, which represents a tiny section of bilateral trade but is an iconic Chinese product. The anti-dumping investigation was launched after several EU producers complained of unfairly low prices harming their industry. Some media reports noted that this will be the first so-called anti-dumping case initiated by the EU against Chinese agri-food products. It signals the Commission’s attempt to further expand its trade measures against China, in an apparent bid to gain leverage in potential talks, seriously undermining bilateral efforts to stabilize ties, Chinese experts said. They added that the EU's move has also revealed its deep anxiety stemming from its lack of confidence in facing its structural issues head-on. In an online post, the China Chamber of Commerce to the EU (CCCEU) highlighted the negative trend reflected by this move. “This trend indicates that the EC's focus of its so-called trade defense measures may be expanding from the industrial manufacturing sector to that of agri-food imports,” it said.
The EU market for duck was worth an estimated €800 million in 2025, and imports from China were €199 million, according to the Financial Times. That represents only a small fraction of the total China-EU trade, which reached CNY5.93 trillion. John Clarke, a former senior agriculture trade negotiator for the EU, said the timing was odd as the EU was about to recognize Peking Duck as a meat product of protected origin, banning non-Chinese producers from using the term. He warned that hitting an iconic product would likely prompt a tough response from China and “prosecco producers should be nervous.” “There are many types of ducks that are being exported to the EU from China, but Peking duck is chosen for the probe, which indicates it was for political purposes as a famous dish in the Chinese cuisine,” a source said. The apparent aim is to gain more cards in potential trade negotiations with China, said Yang Chengyu, Expert on European affairs at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.
Zhang Jian, Vice President of the China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations, told the Global Times that the EU move on Peking duck, while mentioning a subsidy and agricultural modernization program, is absurd, as the EU itself is offering major agricultural subsidies. Under the EU's budget for 2021-2027, a total of €386.6 billion has been set aside for the agriculture sector, accounting for roughly one-third of the EU's total budget.
“We believe that “Peking Duck” is not only a delicacy on the dining table, but also an important bond bringing cultural and people-to-people exchanges and agricultural cooperation between China and Europe. It should not, and must not, become a casualty of trade frictions,” the CCCEU wrote in a statement.
Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Mao Ning said that China-EU trade is driven by market demand and shaped by economic complementarity. China-EU trade has benefited consumers and profited dealers. It is not something that can be forced, but is a result of mutual choice that benefits both sides. “We hope the EU will put things into perspective, ditch the zero-sum mentality and work with China to make the pie of win-win cooperation bigger,” Mao said, as reported by the Global Times.
The South China Morning Post adds that China dominates global duck production, accounting for close to 80% of the world’s duck meat, according to the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). Its exports of duck products rose 57% in 2025, the year covered by the EU probe, data from China’s Waterfowl Industry and Technology Development Report shows.
