China urged to buy more US agricultural products

[Ulhas Joglekar]

15 December 1999
China urged to buy more US agricultural products
BEIJING: Beijing can help persuade the U.S. Congress to grant China
permanent low-tariff trading rights by starting to import more American
agricultural products, a senior US senator said on Tuesday.
China should immediately implement an agreement it reached with the United
States in April to drop barriers to imports of beef, citrus products and
wheat from the U.S., Senator Max Baucus said at a briefing.
China has yet to begin the wheat imports or send inspectors to Florida, as
required by the agreement, said Baucus, a Democrat from Montana.
Washington and Beijing reached a landmark trade deal last month smoothing
China's way to enter the World Trade Organization, perhaps early next year.
As part of the process, U.S. President Bill Clinton is asking Congress to
give China permanent trading rights and do away with divisive annual
reviews.
Getting Congress to approve the permanent rights will be difficult and its
members will be looking closely at China, said Baucus, who has supported
trade relations for China and agrees with Clinton's policy not to link trade
with human rights.
"If rapid implementation of the agricultural cooperative agreement occurs,
that will very much help," Baucus said. He predicted Congress would approve
the measure next year if China lives up to the agriculture agreement and
avoids any actions on human rights or Taiwan that would "roil the waters."
Baucus said he offered his views on the trade debate in a meeting on Tuesday
with Premier Zhu Rongji. During his two-day stay, Baucus also met with the
agriculture minister and other officials. (AP)

 reprint rights: Times Syndication Service
|Disclaimer|
For comments and feedback send Email
Bennett, Coleman & Co. Ltd. 1999.