US and Chinese negotiators meeting this week in Beijing have agreed to extend trade talks until Wednesday, according to a spokesperson for the office of the US Trade Representative.
The Trump administration, in its own notice announcing the US delegation, did not specify how long the visit would last, saying only that talks between the two countries were “beginning Monday.”
A person familiar with the matter told CNN that negotiators between the world’s two largest economies needed more time to discuss issues that were part of the agenda.
On Tuesday, China also announced it would approve the imports of five new varieties of genetically modified crops, a move that would allow more American farmers to sell more biotech seeds to China.
The decision included long-awaited approvals by US farmers, including corn and soybeans produced by DowDupont and BASF.
“The approval of the seeds is a big deal,” said Craig Allen, president of the US-China Business Council. “It allows the seed companies, farmers and traders greater transparency. Hopefully, this also implies that in the future, there will be a more predictable process.”
This week’s talks, the first at the staff level, appear to have made continued progress on additional Chinese purchases and greater market access as a confidence builder, while leaving tougher issues aside.
