US holds full review of trade policy

The US Trade Representative's office was leading a "top-to-bottom" review of American trade policy with China over the next few weeks, reported AFP. Deputy US Trade Representative Karan Bhatia said a trade deficit of US$200 billion in 2005 was the largest in world history, adding that an "imbalance of this magnitude is not sustainable, either economically or politically". China responded by challenging Washington's right under WTO rules to demand economic information from Beijing, the Wall Street Journal reported.