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
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.
The phase one trade deal, which went into force in February, ended threatened tariffs on about US$155 billion worth of Chinese imports that were set to take effect at the end of last year, and halved to 7.5 per cent tariffs on another US$120 billion in goods. But it kept in place the 25 per cent import taxes on US$250 billion worth of Chinese products.
The agreement commits China to buying, over two years, at least US$200 billion more of American products and services than it did in 2017, including about US$40 billion worth of agricultural goods.
“China has worked with the United States to implement measures that will provide greater access for US producers and exporters to China’s growing food and agricultural markets,” Lighthizer said in the announcement.
“Under President Trump’s leadership, we fully expect this agreement to be a success.”
