000302 U.S. Pressures China to Implement Meat Commitment

Washington - U.S. officials warned China that slow implementation of a wheat, meat and citrus agreement could damage its reputation as a reliable trade partner ahead of a key congressional vote.

"It's clear that their credibility is at stake," Peter Scher, special U.S. agricultural trade negotiator, told reporters after a Senate Agriculture Committee hearing.

He told the farm panel the Clinton administration was very concerned with China's slow implementation of the wheat, meat and citrus agreement signed last year with the United States.

Under that pact, China agreed to change certain animal and plant health requirements which the United States says have unfairly restricted wheat, meat and citrus imports.

While China has taken steps to implement the wheat and citrus provisions, it has lagged behind on meat, Scher said.

"They need to tell the ports of entry that if an importer... has a USDA 'certificate of wholesomeness,' the port of entry should accept the meat," he said.

As a result of last year's agreement, China on Monday made its first purchase of wheat from the U.S. Pacific Northwest in more than two decades.

The United States welcomed that move, but is waiting to see purchases of all three commodities, including more wheat, U.S. Agriculture Secretary Dan Glickman said.

That would be "the clearest indication that China intends to honor its commitments," he said.

In the coming months, Congress is expected to vote on permanent normal trade relations for China as part of an agreement on that country's entry in the WTO.

Many farm state lawmakers are looking for regular wheat, meat and citrus purchases as a sign that China will honor other marketing opening commitments under its WTO accession agreement with the United States.

John Hardin, president of the National Pork Producers Council, told the Senate farm panel China appeared to be backing away from its meat trade commitments.

"China now argues that the Chinese language version of the agreement... does not obligate China to accept meat from all USDA approved facilities," he said.

Scher told reporters the different language versions of the agreement were identical. "The only issue here is China implementing what it said it would implement," he said.

Glickman said he could not confirm talk that China now wants to inspect all U.S. facilities that export meat.

But there was no provision for that in last year's agreement and it would be contrary to other trade pacts, he said.

"That is not the way to move meat around the world," Glickman said.

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