Brazil's Agriculture Minister Roberto Rodrigues said on Friday he doubted China would throw up retaliatory barriers against soyabean imports in response to Brazil's raising of safeguards against Chinese textiles. On May 20, Brazil activated the so called "China Clause" of the World Trade Organisation, which permits the private sector to request barriers against Chinese imports. The textile industries in the United States and Europe have also expressed concern recently over the flood of cheap Chinese imports.
Brazil's Cereals Export Association (Anec) expressed concern over possible restrictions in response on Brazilian soya shipments to China, the main destination for Brazilian soya.
"First, Brazil is not the only country in the world that is reacting against the dramatic entrance of Chinese goods. The discussion is already at the WTO," Rodrigues told journalists upon arriving at a agricultural fair in Sao Paulo state.