This supermarket in Hangzhou offers an increasingly rare sight: French cognac. It has been under scrutiny in China for some time – not for its taste, but because of competition law. The Chinese Ministry of Commerce launched anti-dumping measures in January 2024. Last October, China imposed provisional additional tariffs on importers. However, the conclusion of the investigations has been delayed further and further, with no solution in sight. Even a state visit by France’s foreign minister in March did not help. Even Finance Minister Eric Lombard was forced to announce yesterday, Thursday, that talks with China’s Vice Premier He Lifeng had not produced a solution to the Cognac affair.