China to lower import tariffs from January

China will lower import tariffs on more than 850 products including frozen pork from next month, the finance ministry said Monday, as authorities battle a severe shortage of the meat staple.

China's pig industry has been hammered by African swine fever, which has led to the culling of more than a million animals, according to official statistics, and caused the price of pork to double.

Monday's announcement said tariffs on frozen pork will drop from 12 percent to eight percent from January 1.

The move does not appear to be linked to the bruising trade war between China and the US, which has seen Washington and Beijing exchanging levies on goods worth hundreds of billions of dollars, dragging on global growth.

However, Donald Trump retweeted two press reports on the tariff reduction Monday, without any additional comment, and the list includes many items that Chinese companies purchase from the US such as pork and tech goods.

And analysts said the move was an indication of China's desire to show it is opening up after this month's mini deal with the US to reduce some levies and work towards a wider pact.

"The move in lowering import tariffs reflects that the government wants to reaffirm its stance to the world on freer trade amid the trade war," Gary Ng, an economist at Natixis, said. "Domestically, lowering import tariffs are helpful in reducing business and consumer costs."

The Tariff Commission of the State Council said in a statement that the changes will optimise "the trade structure and promote the high-quality development of the economy". Levies will also be lowered on other foods such as fish, cheese and nuts, pharmaceuticals, parts for manufacturing smartphones, a range of chemical products.