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China, the EU and Latin America : current issues and future cooperation
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74 China theEUandLatinAmerica:CurrentIssuesandFutureCooperation significantpeaks.Whilethesearemorepronouncedinthesectorofindustrial goods theyremainrelevantintheagrifoodsector.Forinstance hightariffsare leviedonunprocessedagriculturalproducts suchasstrawberries 30percent ), plums 25percent ), wheatandrice 65percent andsugar 60percent .In contrast marketaccessformineralsandfuelsislargelydutyfree ortariffsare verylow BarralandPerrone2007 Overall tradeandtraderelatedmeasures bothattheborderandinternally are stillusedasinstrumentsofChineseindustrialpolicy.TariffsremainoneofChinas maintradepolicyinstruments.Inadditiontohightariffsforprocessedfoodproducts ArgentinasandBrazilsexportstoChinacontinuetofaceconsiderablenontariff barriers includingtaxes subsidiesandphytosanitarymeasures. 3.4 CriticalAnalysis MERCOSURprovidestheAsiangiantwithproductsthatareimmediately processedandeitherexportedtothirdmarketsorconsumedlocally.Tosome extent MERCOSURsexportfrenzytowardsChinacanbeexplainedbythe phenomenalgrowthoftheChineseeconomy aswellascertaincomplementarities betweentheindividualeconomiesinvolved.Indeed importsfrom Chinahave registeredtheirhighestgrowthinsectorsinwhichArgentinaandBrazilhave majorcompetitiveadvantages.Thistrendcan also beexplained by Chinas strategyofenlargingthelistofitstradepartnersandreducingitsdependencyon commoditiessuppliers. AsimilarstrategyisbeingpursuedbyChinatowardsAfrica whichalso involvesmassiveinvestmentsintheinfrastructureofthatcontinent. Althoughbilateraltradebetween MERCOSURandChinais atleastin theory basedoncomparativeadvantages intraindustrialtraderemainsalmost nonexistent.ThisisnotthecasewithotherAsiandevelopingcountries where thetradepatternreflectsthepartnersspecialisationanddivisionoflabouratthe globallevel BarralandPerrone2007 ThereisnodoubtthattheprincipalchallengeMERCOSURisfacingisto maintainandimproveitsintegrationintotheChineseeconomy whileatthesame timepreservingthecompetitivenessofitsindustrialproductsandeventually increasingthevalueaddedcontentofitsexports.TheBraziliangovernment for instance haslaunchedaspecificprogramme Agenda China aimingat enhancingBrazilianexportsoftechnologicalproductsandhighervalueadded productstotheChinesemarket AgendaChina2008:17 Ontheimportsside theBraziliangovernmentisfrequentlypressuredby localproducerswithregardtotheopeningupoftheBrazilianmarkettoallegedly