China to please Trump with agricultural import

China is considering to allow the import of American agricultural products freely again. The suspension of trade restrictions would be a sign of goodwill to the United States in the run-up to the upcoming resumption of trade negotiations, reports Bloomberg news agency.

A day earlier, China announced its first list of exceptions with product groups that are no longer affected by import duties. Agricultural products were missing on that list. Agriculture plays an important role in the trade war.

The American president Donald Trump also showed his best side in the run-up to the meeting. He announced that he would suspend the higher import duties on Chinese products, which he wanted to introduce on October 1, until October 15. According to Trump, the delay is “a gesture of goodwill” and “due to the fact that the People’s Republic of China is celebrating its 70th birthday”.

Chinese trade delegates are expected to meet their US counterparts in Washington in mid-September prior to ministerial meetings scheduled for early October. This involves Chinese Deputy Prime Minister Liu He, US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and Finance Minister Steven Mnuchin.