U.S., China reach farm trade agreement

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http://www.upi.com/view.cfm?StoryID=20021211-032441-4093r

 

UPI Farming Today

By Gregory Tejeda

United Press International

From the Business & Economics Desk

Published 12/12/2002 1:15 AM

View printer-friendly version

 

U.S., China reach farm trade agreement

 

The Agriculture Department has reached an agreement

with China to cooperate on issues related to

farm-related trade.

 

Federal farm officials this week signed a protocol of

cooperation with the China Ministry of Science and

Technology.

 

" Cooperation in science and research benefits

agriculture in both our countries and reinforces the

central role of science in the regulatory system, "

Agriculture Secretary Ann Veneman said.

 

" Consistent, science-based regulatory systems will

strengthen the U.S.-China agricultural trade

relationship, reduce trade obstacles and help resolve

outstanding issues, " said Veneman.

 

The agreement had been under consideration since July

when Veneman met with Science Minister Xu Guanhua in

China to discuss trade and cooperation issues.

 

The protocol was developed in discussions with Chinese

officials led by Joseph Jen, the agriculture under

secretary for research, education and economics.

 

Jen has been reviewing areas of cooperation in

agricultural research between the United States and

China from a scientific viewpoint and leading USDA's

efforts to expand cooperation in science and research.

 

The agreement will encourage collaborative research in

areas such as agricultural biotechnology and the

agricultural environment.

 

Other areas of scientific cooperation cited in the

protocol include food safety, dairy production,

processing of agricultural products and water-saving

agricultural technology.

 

China and the United States agreed to form a joint

working group to facilitate and review cooperation

under the protocol.

 

" This protocol will build on the U.S.-China

cooperative relationship in research, " said Veneman.

" Together, our scientists and experts are advancing

some of the most promising areas in agriculture. "

 

The protocol operates in addition to previously

negotiated and ongoing Agriculture Department

agreements with China, including the Nov. 5, 2002,

Memorandum of Cooperation between the Animal and Plant

Health Inspection Service and its Chinese counterpart,

the Department for Supervision on Animal and Plant

Quarantine.

 

China's Ministry of Science and Technology sets broad

research and development priorities, funds research

programs of other ministries and provides oversight to

public research in China.

 

 

 

 

 

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