Facing E.V. Tariffs, China Threatens Pork Imports From Europe

China on Monday threatened to impose tariffs on pork imports from Europe, in what appeared to be retaliation for the European Union’s decision last week to impose preliminary tariffs on electric cars imported from China.

China’s Ministry of Commerce announced that it had opened an investigation into whether pork from the European Union was being dumped in China at unfairly low prices. The case could result in tariffs on dozens of products, from pork chops to pickled pig intestines.

The ministry said it was acting on a request from the China Animal Agriculture Association, a government-affiliated group. A person answering the phone at the association declined to comment.

The European Union had no immediate comment on the Chinese action.

By choosing pork imports as the apparent payback for the electric vehicle tariffs, China is turning to a playbook it followed during its last major trade fight with the European Union over a decade ago.

In 2013, the European Union moved to impose 11.8 percent tariffs on solar panels from China. China responded by threatening tariffs on wine from Europe and then launched a successful campaign to persuade national governments in Europe to force E.U. leaders in Brussels to back down.

Farmers are a potent political lobby in Europe who have been looking for ways to increase sales to China. Experts in China’s trade policy said Beijing might be hoping to pressure the European Union to back down again.