China, US officials discuss farm goods trade: China

Chinese and USofficialsmet on Friday todiscussquarantine issues regarding imports of variousagriculture products into both countries,China's General Administration of Customs said in a brief statement on its website on Tuesday.

Deputy Commissioner of Customs Zhang Jiwen met with USUnder Secretary of Agriculture Ted McKinney anddiscussed access for Chinese cooked poultry products, citrusfruits and date exports as well as USexports toChinaof poultry, rice, feed additives and other products.

The meeting was held at the same time as high-level talks took place between the two trade partners in Washington aimed at averting a trade war.

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Sources have told Reuters that the two sides are now close to reaching a deal that would remove an existing US order banning American companies from supplying Chinese telecommunications equipment maker ZTE Corp.

The deal could also includeChinaremoving tariffs on imported USagricultural products, as well as buying more USfarmgoods.

Chinahas been seeking USmarket access for cooked Chinese poultry for years while the United States wantsChinato lift a ban in place on USpoultry imports for more than three years following an outbreak of bird flu there.

Chinahas sharply reduced its imports of many US animal feed materials because of quarantine issues such as theuse of genetically modified organisms.