US-China Talks: China to Resume Registration for US Beef Companies, Reiterates Stance on Rare Earths
On the 20th, China's Ministry of Commerce provided an interpretation of the preliminary outcomes of US-China trade negotiations. The results include a decision to resume registration for compliant US beef companies in China. Regarding rare earths, China reiterated its stance of managing exports according to law. The talks, held in South Korea from May 12-13 as preparation for the Trump-Xi meeting, also saw both sides reach several consensuses on expanding agricultural trade and reducing non-tariff barriers.
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- 📰 Published: May 20, 2026 at 13:54
- 🔍 Collected: May 20, 2026 at 14:01 (6 min after Published)
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: May 20, 2026 at 14:35 (33 min after Collected)
An official from the Department of American and Oceanian Affairs at China's Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) today interpreted the preliminary results of the US-China economic and trade consultations. The official stated that China has decided to resume registration for relevant U.S. beef companies. Regarding the issue of rare earths, the official emphasized that the U.S. and China have had full communication and exchange, and that the Chinese government implements export controls on rare earths and other critical minerals in accordance with laws and regulations, and will review applications for compliant, civilian-use permits.
U.S. President Trump visited China from the 13th to the 15th, holding a summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping on the 14th. From the 12th to the 13th, the U.S.-China economic and trade teams held consultations in South Korea to prepare the economic and trade aspects for the summit.
This morning, the MOFCOM website published the official's interpretation of the preliminary trade outcomes, covering issues such as U.S.-China tariffs, expanding agricultural trade, rare earth export controls, aircraft trade, and U.S. beef.
On the rare earth issue, the MOFCOM official added that China is willing to work with the U.S. to create favorable conditions for promoting mutually beneficial cooperation between their enterprises and ensuring the security and stability of global industrial and supply chains.
In terms of expanding agricultural trade, the official said that through consultations, the two sides reached a series of positive consensuses on resolving non-tariff barriers and market access issues for some agricultural products. They also agreed in principle to include relevant products in a reciprocal tariff reduction framework and set a guiding target for expanding two-way agricultural trade. It is hoped that by jointly reducing tariffs, decreasing non-tariff barriers, and expanding market access, favorable conditions will be created for two-way agricultural trade, promoting the restoration and continuous expansion of trade cooperation in the agricultural sector.
Regarding agricultural market access, the official stated that the U.S. has committed to resolving or substantially advancing the resolution of non-tariff barriers and market access issues for some of China's agricultural products. This mainly includes: first, a commitment to lift the automatic detention measure on Chinese dairy products and dairy-containing foods exported to the U.S., in place since 2008, which will provide more convenient trade conditions; second, an agreement to accept trial exports of Chinese Penzai with growing media to the U.S. and to promptly initiate revisions to relevant regulations to facilitate market access; third, an agreement to promote the lifting of automatic detention measures on three categories of Chinese aquatic products exported to the U.S. Additionally, the U.S. made positive commitments regarding the recognition of Shandong as a zone free from highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) and accelerating the review of applications from Chinese companies to be removed from the import alert red list.
Concerning U.S. beef companies, the MOFCOM official stated that in accordance with relevant laws and regulations, China will resume the registration of U.S. beef companies that meet requirements, lift HPAI restrictions on certain compliant U.S. states, and resume the import of poultry products from those states. China will also expedite the review of corrective materials from U.S. beef companies suspended from exporting to China due to drug residue issues, and will engage in communication with the U.S. on agricultural biotechnology, a topic of U.S. interest.
The official said that during the China-U.S. trade consultations in Seoul, the two sides had an in-depth exchange on the registration of U.S. beef companies.
He noted that previously, China's General Administration of Customs had suspended the approval of U.S. beef companies for registration in China, considering the risk of cross-species transmission of HPAI within the U.S. to ensure the safety of imported beef.
Subsequently, the U.S. provided technical data on epidemic control multiple times as requested by China. Based on relevant laws, regulations, and international animal health rules, China conducted a strict scientific assessment of the data and concluded that the measures taken by the U.S. met China's requirements, leading to the decision to resume registration for the relevant U.S. beef companies.
The MOFCOM official also stated that for some U.S. beef companies suspended due to excessive drug residues, China has already provided a resolution pathway, including requirements for corrective work. China will conduct a risk assessment of the U.S. remedial actions based on scientific principles and will send a technical team to the U.S. for on-site inspections. China will determine the next steps based on the assessment results.
He expressed that China and the U.S. are important agricultural trade partners for each other. The achievement of these outcomes not only resolves specific issues of concern to both sides but also lays a foundation and creates a positive atmosphere for deepening cooperation. Some commitments have already been implemented as scheduled.
U.S. President Trump visited China from the 13th to the 15th, holding a summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping on the 14th. From the 12th to the 13th, the U.S.-China economic and trade teams held consultations in South Korea to prepare the economic and trade aspects for the summit.
This morning, the MOFCOM website published the official's interpretation of the preliminary trade outcomes, covering issues such as U.S.-China tariffs, expanding agricultural trade, rare earth export controls, aircraft trade, and U.S. beef.
On the rare earth issue, the MOFCOM official added that China is willing to work with the U.S. to create favorable conditions for promoting mutually beneficial cooperation between their enterprises and ensuring the security and stability of global industrial and supply chains.
In terms of expanding agricultural trade, the official said that through consultations, the two sides reached a series of positive consensuses on resolving non-tariff barriers and market access issues for some agricultural products. They also agreed in principle to include relevant products in a reciprocal tariff reduction framework and set a guiding target for expanding two-way agricultural trade. It is hoped that by jointly reducing tariffs, decreasing non-tariff barriers, and expanding market access, favorable conditions will be created for two-way agricultural trade, promoting the restoration and continuous expansion of trade cooperation in the agricultural sector.
Regarding agricultural market access, the official stated that the U.S. has committed to resolving or substantially advancing the resolution of non-tariff barriers and market access issues for some of China's agricultural products. This mainly includes: first, a commitment to lift the automatic detention measure on Chinese dairy products and dairy-containing foods exported to the U.S., in place since 2008, which will provide more convenient trade conditions; second, an agreement to accept trial exports of Chinese Penzai with growing media to the U.S. and to promptly initiate revisions to relevant regulations to facilitate market access; third, an agreement to promote the lifting of automatic detention measures on three categories of Chinese aquatic products exported to the U.S. Additionally, the U.S. made positive commitments regarding the recognition of Shandong as a zone free from highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) and accelerating the review of applications from Chinese companies to be removed from the import alert red list.
Concerning U.S. beef companies, the MOFCOM official stated that in accordance with relevant laws and regulations, China will resume the registration of U.S. beef companies that meet requirements, lift HPAI restrictions on certain compliant U.S. states, and resume the import of poultry products from those states. China will also expedite the review of corrective materials from U.S. beef companies suspended from exporting to China due to drug residue issues, and will engage in communication with the U.S. on agricultural biotechnology, a topic of U.S. interest.
The official said that during the China-U.S. trade consultations in Seoul, the two sides had an in-depth exchange on the registration of U.S. beef companies.
He noted that previously, China's General Administration of Customs had suspended the approval of U.S. beef companies for registration in China, considering the risk of cross-species transmission of HPAI within the U.S. to ensure the safety of imported beef.
Subsequently, the U.S. provided technical data on epidemic control multiple times as requested by China. Based on relevant laws, regulations, and international animal health rules, China conducted a strict scientific assessment of the data and concluded that the measures taken by the U.S. met China's requirements, leading to the decision to resume registration for the relevant U.S. beef companies.
The MOFCOM official also stated that for some U.S. beef companies suspended due to excessive drug residues, China has already provided a resolution pathway, including requirements for corrective work. China will conduct a risk assessment of the U.S. remedial actions based on scientific principles and will send a technical team to the U.S. for on-site inspections. China will determine the next steps based on the assessment results.
He expressed that China and the U.S. are important agricultural trade partners for each other. The achievement of these outcomes not only resolves specific issues of concern to both sides but also lays a foundation and creates a positive atmosphere for deepening cooperation. Some commitments have already been implemented as scheduled.