China approves more American imports, US trade office says

‘These are difficult times for both our countries. It is important that we each continue to work to make our agreement a success,’ US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer’s office says

Beijing has opened its markets to blueberries, avocados, barley and other livestock feed grains, and approved more meat imports, statement says

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US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer says he expects the US-China trade deal to be a success. Photo: Bloomberg

Published: 11:58am, 22 May 2020Updated: 11:35pm, 22 May 2020

Beijing has approved a wider range of American agricultural products for import, US President Donald Trump’s top trade negotiator said on Thursday, in a sign of progress in the phase one deal the two sides signed in January.

China has opened its markets to blueberries, California Hass avocados, barley and other livestock feed grains, and approved imports of meat from more American processing facilities, US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer’s office (USTR) said in a statement.

In exchange, the trade office “is continuing to process and where appropriate grant exclusions of products from China”.

“These are difficult times for both our countries. It is important that we each continue to work to make our agreement a success,” it said.

California Hass avocados (pictured), blueberries and barley are among the US products approved by China for import. Photo: AFP

The comments showed a rare point of cooperation in a relationship that has otherwise been fraying on many fronts, including a dispute over the origins of the Covid-19 pandemic that has killed more than 330,000 people and battered economies around the world.