BEIJING (AP) — Now that Europe has announced tariffs on China-made electric cars, the continent is bracing to see if the other shoe drops.

Will China retaliate with tariffs on European cars, taking aim at German makers such as BMW and Mercedes? Would it put tariffs on agricultural products, targeting Europe’s politically influential farmers? Or luxury goods from Italy and France?

Analysts warn that an escalating trade war could break out, raising prices for consumers and hurting exporters and their workers on both sides. Both are major markets for each other — China, a rising economy of more than 1-billion people, and Europe with its relatively well-off population of more than 400 million.

“It’s a little bit like seeing a slow motion traffic accident unfolding,” Jens Eskelund, the president of the European Chamber of Commerce in China said earlier this year. “The accident has not happened yet and … it is still possible to find an off-ramp. It is getting urgent.”

The Chinese government has said it will take “all measures necessary to protect our legitimate rights and interests” in response to the tariffs on electric vehicles but it hasn’t specified what those might be.

China launched an anti-dumping investigation into European brandy exports in January, a warning shot aimed at French cognac. France was a supporter of the European Union investigation that resulted in Wednesday’s EV tariff announcement.

The EU is also investigating subsides given to Chinese wind and solar companies and whether China is unfairly restricting access to its market for medical devices, a long-running complaint of European manufacturers.

The European Union said it had reached out to China to discuss the findings of the EV investigation, and that the tariffs would take effect on July 4 if the two sides fail to resolve the issue. The tariffs would be provisional and finalized only after four months.

China’s Global Times newspaper has reported that Chinese companies are planning to ask the government to launch an anti-dumping investigation into certain EU pork products and an investigation of subsidies for some dairy products.

The state-owned paper has also quoted a leading Chinese auto industry expert calling for raising the tariff on imported vehicles with larger engines to reduce carbon emissions, a move that would hit high-end German exports from Mercedes and BMW.

Volkswagen expressed concern that the EU tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles could result in an escalation of trade conflicts and said the European Union is promoting an ongoing trend toward protectionism, nationalism and isolationism.

“The negative effects of this decision outweigh any potential benefits for the European and especially the German automotive industry,” VW said in a statement.

Research firm Sanford C. Bernstein noted that the impact on German makers would be muted by the fact that most of their cars sold in China are made locally. Only 2% of Volkswagen’s China sales are imports vulnerable to higher tariffs, along with 15% for BMW and 19% for Mercedes-Benz.

China could also impose retaliatory tariffs on French and Italian luxury goods, cosmetics, wine, chocolate or furniture, wrote Gabriel Wildau, a China analyst at the Teneo consultancy, in an analysis ahead of the announcement.

While Germany fears retaliation against its automakers and chemical producers, France and Italy have been the primary advocates within the EU for tariffs on electric vehicles, he wrote.

How big an impact the provisional tariffs would have on Chinese EV sales is unclear. Some Chinese companies might still be able to sell at a profit, even with duties as high as 30%.

The provisional tariffs range from 17.4% to 38.1%, depending on the carmaker, and come on top of an existing 10% tariff on vehicles. The new rates would pose a serious market barrier to Chinese EV exports, the China Chamber of Commerce to the EU said.

Calculations by the Rhodium Group found that that five of six models from BYD, China’s largest EV maker, would earn a profit with a 30% tariff, while a made-in-China Tesla Model 3 would sell at a loss.

The Danish Veterinary and Food Administration announced the recall of three types of South Korean spicy instant noodle products because the capsaicin, or chili pepper extract level is so high it could pose a health hazard.

Seoul-based Samyang Foods — considered one of the South Korea’s largest companies — makes the noodles which are sold around the world.

The Danish authorities have recalled Buldak Samyang 3 X Spicy & Hot Chicken noodles, Buldak Samyang 2 x Spicy & Hot Chicken, and Buldak Samyang Hot Chicken Stew.

The Associated Press reported that the authorities say the products contain an overly high dose of capsaicin, which is an active ingredient in chili peppers. But capsaicin is also a chemical that can be considered a neurotoxin and poses a risk of “acute poisoning.”

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South Korean products have gained popularity on social media as children and teenagers in Denmark have been daring each other to eat “a strong bowl of noodle soup,” the Danish administration said.

“The noodle dishes marketed as extremely strong must no longer be sold because consumers and especially children risk acute poisoning,” the Danish Veterinary and Food Administration said. “The capsaicin content is so high that it can pose a health hazard.”

Henrik Dammand Nielsen of the agency said those at risk include children, frail adults and elderly individuals, who could all experience burning and discomfort, nausea, vomiting and high blood pressure.

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Food authorities in Denmark have recalled three types of Samyang spicy instant noodle products imported from South Korea. (AP Photo)

“That is why we are now demanding shops remove the products from their shelves,” the agency said.

In a statement provided to the media in South Korea, Samyang Foods said they understood the recall came because of the spiciness of the product, not because of the quality.

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Fox News Digital has reached out to Samyang Foods for comment.

Spicy food challenges are nothing new and have been around for years. Sometimes the challenges include local chili pepper eating contests, while other times the challenge may be to make it onto a restaurant wall of fame by completely consuming extra spicy dishes.

A Massachusetts teen with a congenital heart defect participated in a spicy tortilla chip challenge on social media back in September, but ultimately died from eating a large quantity of chili pepper extract.

The Associated Press obtained the autopsy report, which showed the 10th grader died after eating the Paqui chip as part of the manufacturer’s “One Chip Challenge.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

A new super group of the right in the European Parliament? Marine Le Pen has been in Brussels celebrating her electoral success with far-right colleagues. With her National Rally now one of the chamber’s largest delegations, we spoke to its head Jean-Paul Garraud to find out how it’s trying to flex its power.

On the other side of the political spectrum, the Party of European Socialists’ secretary general Giacomo Filibeck spoke exclusively to Euronews on party strategy ahead of the new European Parliament mandate.

Many in Brussels may be hooked on politics, but we also talk about the increase in narcotic addiction affecting Europe: consumption and sales of drugs are on the rise across the continent, according to a report by the European monitoring centre for drugs and drugs addiction.

Radio Schuman is hosted and produced by Maïa de la Baume, with journalist and production assistant Eleonora Vasques and audio editing by Zacharia Vigneron. The music is by Alexandre Jas.