China’s decision to suspend imports of certain products from Lithuania will not cause any problems, because businesses have already stopped exporting to China and found new markets, Lithuanian Prime Ministers Ingrida Simonyte has said.
“As far as I know, there’s no practical problem because of this decision, since exports of these products to China have not been taking place for several months, and exporters have already turned their focus to other markets,” Simonyte told reporters while in Ukraine.
The prime minister refrained from interpreting the real reasons behind China’s move.
“If the problem is in certain documents, I am sure the State Food and Veterinary Service (SFVS) would resolve those issues with Chinese institutions,” she said.
On February 9, China’s General Administration of Customs officially notified Lithuania that its beef, dairy products and beer would not be allowed into China.
According to Mantas Staskevicius, head of the SFVS, Lithuania suspended exports of animal products to China last fall after businesses refused to export to the country.
The last animal products were shipped from Lithuania to China in November 2021, he said. Amid souring Lithuania-China relations, companies are themselves shunning the Chinese market, Staskevicius adds.
Lithuania’s exports to China plunged by 91% YoY in December 2021, according to the European Commission figures.
China is the world’s largest beef importer, but imports from Lithuania are minimal. China imported 2.36 million tons of beef last year, including 775 tons from Lithuania, based on China’s customs figures. (LRT/Business World Magazine)
