Recently, the Chinese canned sweet corn industry has encountered an anti-dumping investigation from the European Union, which has attracted widespread attention from both inside and outside the industry. It is reported that the anti-dumping investigation was officially filed by the European Commission on December 9, 2023, targeting sweet corn kernels exported from China (customs codes: CN codes ex 2001 90 30 and ex 2005 80 00). This move is regarded as part of the EU's series of anti-dumping investigations on Chinese export products, and the intention of trade protectionism is obvious.

As a convenient, delicious and healthy food, canned sweet corn has been loved by more and more consumers around the world, especially in the European and American markets in recent years. It uses freshly harvested sweet corn cobs as raw materials, and is processed through a series of processes such as peeling, pre-cooking, threshing, cleaning, canning, and high-temperature sterilization, retaining the original nutritional value and taste of sweet corn. Canned sweet corn is not only nutritious and contains a variety of vitamins and minerals, but also has the characteristics of low calories and high fiber, making it an ideal choice for healthy eating.

However, this EU anti-dumping investigation has undoubtedly brought huge challenges to Chinese canned sweet corn exporters. The China Canned Food Industry Association responded quickly and held an emergency preparatory meeting for the EU anti-dumping investigation in Zhangzhou, Fujian on December 10. The meeting was chaired by Liu Youqian, Chairman of the China Canned Food Industry Association, and attracted relevant responsible persons from 18 companies including Chenzi Trade, Qingdao Kaichuang, Lixing Group, and Tongfa Group.

At the meeting, Chairman Liu Youqian emphasized the three key words for this response: tight time, great impact, and heavy tasks. From the time the EU announced the filing of the anti-dumping investigation, companies only have 7 days to respond to decide whether to respond. In 2023, China's exports of canned sweet corn to Europe reached more than 50,000 tons. Once the anti-dumping investigation is confirmed, it will have a serious impact on China's canned sweet corn industry. At the same time, the forms that responding companies need to fill in are complicated and arduous, and the deadline is December 15.

In order to meet this challenge, the meeting decided to establish a special working group, which will be responsible for the secretariat of the Zhangzhou Canned Food Chamber of Commerce, so that relevant companies can pay close attention to the progress of the work and contact Li Qing, deputy secretary-general of the China Canned Food Association. The meeting also invited professional anti-dumping lawyers to the scene to popularize knowledge and answer questions to help companies better understand and respond to this anti-dumping investigation.

While facing challenges, the Chinese canned sweet corn industry has also demonstrated strong cohesion and response capabilities. Participating companies have expressed that they will actively respond to the call of the China Can Association, unite, and jointly respond to the EU's anti-dumping investigation. They believe that through the joint efforts of the industry, they will be able to overcome difficulties and maintain the status and reputation of Chinese canned sweet corn in the global market.

This anti-dumping investigation is not only a test for the Chinese canned sweet corn industry, but also a test of the overall response capabilities of Chinese food export companies. The Chinese food industry will continue to strengthen self-discipline, improve product quality and competitiveness, actively respond to challenges and opportunities in international trade, and contribute to the sustainable development of China's food industry.

At the same time, we also call on the international community to uphold the principles of fairness, justice, and openness, jointly maintain the global trade order and free trade system, and promote the prosperity and development of the global economy.