China Drops U.S. Broiler Chicken Import

The Commerce Ministry of China stated that it has removed anti-dumping and anti-subsidy duties on the U.S. white-feathered broiler chickens, ending a years-long clash between the biggest economies in the world amid increasing tensions over agricultural trade.

China will remove the anti-dumping and anti-subsidy duties on the U.S. broiler chickens. 

Meanwhile, the move, which will be effective on Tuesday, arises after a World Trade Organization ruling in January that obliged Beijing to reduce the tariffs unless it appealed within 20 days.

The tariffs were first imposed back in 2010. However, in 2016, they were extended for a further five years.

On the other hand, the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump is considering imposing a stiff curb on steel and aluminum imports from China.

The move on broiler chickens is not important for the American poultry industry, since China has ban imports of U.S. poultry, poultry products, and egg due to the avian influenza in 2015.

“This is great news, but the market is still currently closed,” the director for Greater China at the USA Poultry and Egg Export Council, Sarah Li, stated.

According to Li, the industry association visited the Ministry of Agriculture in China last month to ask the government to remove the import ban since there are no more signs of the virus.

Before the ban, the exports of poultry and eggs to China were worth hundreds of millions of dollars every year.

 

China vs Social Media

In other news, the plan of China for President Xi Jinping to stay in the office indefinitely has flickered social media disapproval, making comparisons to the ruling dynasty of North Korea and prompting a Hong Kong pro-democracy activist to allege it of creating a dictator.

Last Sunday, the response of social media quickly saw China swing into a concerted propaganda push by Monday, blocking some articles that are praising the party.

Meanwhile, the White House in Washington has stated that it was up to China to choose whether to do away with presidential term limits.

The proposal made by the ruling Communist Party was to remove a constitutional clause limiting presidential service to just two terms in office. This means that President Xi, who also heads the party and the military, might never have to retire.

The plan of the party, which will be passed by representatives loyal to the group at the annual meeting of China’s largely rubber-stamp parliament next month, is part of a package of amendments to the constitution of the country.

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