February 28, 2009

China urges US to scrap poultry trade protectionist stance

China on Friday (Feb 27) urged the US to rescind a policy that does not allow the lifting of the import ban on Chinese poultry products.

The US House of Representatives on Wednesday (Feb 25) passed a US$410 billion spending bill that would fund the government through September, the end of fiscal 2009.

Section 727 said none of the funds in the bill may be used to allow imports of poultry products from China.

That is a discriminatory and protectionist action which is in violation of World Trade Organisation's most-favoured-nation treatment and general elimination of quantitative restrictions, according to Yao Jian, spokesman of the Ministry of Commerce.

The clause gravely disrupts the normal poultry trade between the two countries and harmed the legitimate rights and interests of China's poultry industry, Yao said.

Yao said China was strong opposed to the section and urged the US to abolish it. He added that China reserves the right to appeal to the WTO.