DETAILS of Beijing's attacks on Britain will be included in a report to US Congressmen in March, a move interpreted by local observers as likely to dim US-China trade relations.
In the clearest indication yet that the Sino-British row - which this week took a turn for the worse - could jeopardise China's Most Favoured Nation status, the US Consulate in Hongkong said work was under way on the report.
It is scheduled to be received by Congressmen about the time that MFN is being debated.
Under US legislation China's MFN status - which provides low tariffs on most Chinese imports - is tied to its performance on certain issues, with human rights playing a key role.
Political analysts said the report's findings on democracy in the territory were bound to be dragged into the MFN debate, especially under a president pledged to democracy abroad.
One political analyst said: ''I don't think somebody like Senator George Mitchell or Representative Nancy Pelosi could resist not bringing that up somehow in an attempt to win converts to their side.