Move follows six-month probe revealing serious damage to domestic industry

China will start to levy a safeguards tariff on sugar imports after a six-month investigation, in order to protect the domestic sugar industry and stabilize the market, the Ministry of Commerce said on Monday.

Based on the results of the investigation and suggestions made by the ministry, the Tariff Commission of the State Council decided to collect an extra 45 percent tariff on top of the current 50 percent duty for out-of-quota sugar imports for this fiscal year. The anti-dumping duty will be reduced to 40 percent in the next year and then 35 percent in the following year.