US President Donald Trump said he has asked China to immediately lift tariffs on US agricultural products because trade negotiations are progressing well.
The US also postponed plans to impose a 25% tariff on Chinese goods on Friday (1.3.2019), as planned.
"I have asked China to immediately remove all tariffs on our agricultural products (including beef, pork, etc.) based on the fact that we are making good progress in trade discussions," Trump wrote on Twitter, adding that he did not raise taxes on Chinese goods to 25% from 10% on March 1.
"This is very important to our great farmers – and to me!" Trump said.
Farmers are a key voting bloc for Trump's Republican Party and have been hit hard by the US president's trade war with China.
Beijing imposed tariffs last year on imports of soybeans, sorghum, pork and other products, reducing shipments of U.S. agricultural goods to China.
U.S. Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue said this week that U.S. trade negotiators had asked China to reduce tariffs on ethanol, but it was not immediately clear whether Beijing was willing to agree.
Trump's Twitter post came several hours after the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative said it would delay a planned tariff hike on $200.000 billion worth of Chinese goods.
The notice, which is due to be published in the official gazette next Tuesday, says it is “no longer appropriate” to raise rates given the progress in negotiations since December 2018. Tariffs will remain “at 10% until further notice.”
The tariff hike to 25% from 10% was originally scheduled for Jan. 1, but after productive talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping, the Trump administration extended that deadline by 90 days.
Trump had said on Sunday that he would postpone the tax increase again due to progress in negotiations.
Source: Reuters
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