On Dec. 21, 2020, China Ministry of Finance published the 2021 Tariff Adjustment Plan (hereafter referred to as "the Plan")[1]. The Plan adjusts the provisional tariff rates and conventional tariff rates for some import products in order to respond to the Dual Circulation, a new development pattern raised by President Xi in May. The provisional tariff is the tariff rate applied to partial import products during a certain period, which is usually lower than the MFN (Most Favored Nation) tariff. MFN tariff applies to import products from WTO members, covering most countries exporting food to China.

In 2021, the provisional tariff of some special infant formula (such as infant formula for premature infants) will be reduced from 5% to 0%, and that of whey protein powder and lactoferrin will be lowered from 10% to 0%.

Conventional tariff rates for dairy products from Australia, Costa Rica, Georgia, Switzerland, Peru and South Korea will be further reduced. Conventional tariff rates of the APTA will also be applied to some products imported from Mongolia from Jan. 1, 2021.