The finance ministry outlines new steps to protect local brewers from cheaper Chinese beer imports

Taiwan’s finance ministry is now planning measures to protect the domestic beer sector from rising Chinese beer imports. The move comes after the ministry launched an investigation at the beginning of the year into allegations of dumping by Chinese beer exporters.

Among the measures planned are issuing guidelines to ensure beer labels prominently display the country of origin, according to the ministry. Officials said the guidelines will cover label placement and language requirements to prevent consumers from mistaking imported brews for local products.

Treasury director Chen Pai‑chen is drafting a letter to local governments outlining criteria that could mislead consumers about product origin and specifying penalties for mislabeling. Once finalised, the letter will guide inspections to ensure clear differentiation between imported and domestic brands.

The Ministry is also setting up an inquiry to review plans to cut tariffs on hops, malt and other brewing inputs, to lower costs for local producers. Finance Minister Chuang Tsui‑yun confirmed the formal inquiry would begin within 30 days of receiving the application and that an interagency tariff commission would be convened immediately to set out the investigation timetable. The commission is expected to assess evidence from brewery records, import declarations and market price data.

The finance ministry is also in talks with hop and malt suppliers to explore concessions that could reduce ingredient costs by up to 15%.

Finance ministry officials said the anti‑dumping review would likely conclude by late June, with any additional duties on Chinese beer imports taking effect in October if dumping is confirmed by the interagency tariff review body.