The United States is pressuring the Chinese government to weaken restrictions recently imposed on the export to China of American soybeans.
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Beijing has upset the US by insisting that a mutually agreed extension to six months of a quarantine period for soybean health checks be written into all supply contracts.
The US claims that China has broken World Trade Organisation (WTO) rules by not consulting with its trading partners before introducing this demand. In a meeting between the US Trade Representative office and Chinese diplomats in Washington DC, the Americans said this rule should be suspended while WTO consultations take place.
