Food imports to China have surged recently years mainly because of growing demand from a huge middle class. Their value was $89 billion in 2019, according to a report by the United States Department of Agriculture, making China the world’s sixth largest food importer.
China has been trying to implement new rules covering food imports for years, triggering opposition from exporters. The General Administration of Customs of China(GACC), has provided little explanation for why all foods, even those considered low-risk such as wine, flour and olive oil are covered by the requirements.