US, China trade officials agree to easing of restrictions

Officials from Washington and Beijing agreed at a meeting in Hangzhou to ease trade restrictions, the Wall Street Journal reported. Specific details of the agreements were not released, but the agreement to relax restrictions comes before the visit of US President Barack Obama to China in November. Restrictions on agricultural trade had been a point of contention between China and the US before the meeting; the Hangzhou talks could lead to resumed US pork exports to China in exchange for easing of restrictions on Chinese poultry exports. Trade officials also discussed US access to China’s wind-power market and improving intellectual-property rights protection in China. Trade disputes between the US and China have risen as trade between the two countries has suffered, falling about 15% from 2008.