China, Japan Fail to Make Breakthrough in Trade Talks

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Wednesday, December 19, 2001

China, Japan Fail to Make Breakthrough in Trade Talks

China and Japan on Wednesday failed to solve a trade row involving three agricultural products but the two sides have found some common ground, as reported.

China and Japan on Wednesday failed to make a breakthrough at their vice-ministerial talks in Tokyo over a trade dispute stemming from Japan's emergency import curbs on three farm products mostly from China.

Wednesday's talks followed a failed ministerial meeting held last week in Beijing.

The two countries plan to hold a ministerial again in a last-ditch effort to resolve the issue before the deadline on Friday for Tokyo to decide on whether to approve full four-year import curbs, sources close to the talks said.

Japan is poised to invoke full-fledged "safeguard" curbs on imports of stone leeks, shiitake mushrooms and rushes used in tatami mats if the two countries fail to strike a deal by Friday.

Japan demanded that China set export levels for the three farm products that are satisfactory to both sides.

China rejected the proposal, saying it is the same as setting the safeguard curbs.

The trade row flared up in April when Japan slapped 200-day provisional import curbs on the three farm products.

In June, denouncing the Japanese measure as discriminatory, China responded by imposing 100 percent punitive tariffs on imports of Japanese motor vehicles, mobile phones and air conditioners.

China, Japan to Hold Vice-Ministerial Talks on Farm Produce