China, US reach agreement on rice

China and the US have reached an agreement on inspection and quarantine protocols for US rice exports to China, said a statement released by a Chinese delegate to the China-US dialogue on Thursday.

According to an announcement by the US Department of Agriculture, US rice exports to China can begin following the completion of an audit of US rice facilities by China’s General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine, the Xinhua News Agency reported on Friday.

It will be the first time for the US to export rice to China, said the US Department of Agriculture.

China and the US have reached certain consensus on agricultural cooperation during the first China-US Comprehensive Economic Dialogue (CED) concluded on Wednesday, Xinhua reported.

During the economic talks, China and the US exchanged views on agricultural policies and trade, such as the removal of the ban on Chinese and US poultry products on a reciprocal basis, value-added tax on imported dried distiller grains, approval of agricultural biotechnology products, and Chinese exports of dairy and aquatic products to the US.

In a breakout session during the talks, both sides held a thorough discussion about steel, aluminum and high-tech trade.

Both sides agreed to seek active and effective measures to jointly address excess steel capacity, a global issue requiring a collective response by the international community.

During a meeting in the US state of Florida in April, Chinese President Xi Jinping and US President Donald Trump agreed to initiate a 100-day plan for economic cooperation, covering agriculture, financial services, investment and the energy sector, according to a report by Xinhua on May 12.