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, said Lithuanian Prime Ministers Ingrida Šimonytė.
“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,” Šimonytė 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 Wednesday, 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 Staškevičius, 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, he said. Amid souring Lithuania-China relations, companies are themselves shunning the Chinese market, Staškevičius added.
Lithuania’s exports to China plunged 91 percent in December, compared to the same period last year, 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.
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