China said that increasing its U.S. farm product purchases depends on implementing a reciprocal tariff-cut agreement, a condition not specified in the White House’s earlier announcement of Beijing’s $17 billion annual commitment.
Chinese Commerce Ministry spokeswoman Huang Ling said during a Nov. 5 news conference that Beijing remained open to buying more American agricultural products, but only if the two countries implemented their agreed reciprocal tariff reductions.
“The prerequisite is that the ’30-for-30′ reciprocal tariff-reduction arrangement agreed upon by the two sides is implemented,” Huang said.
She was responding to a question about a Nov. 2 meeting between China’s international trade representative, Li Chenggang, and a U.S. agricultural trade delegation, including whether the sides had agreed on additional purchases….