China South Korea Sign Garlic AccordChina and South Korea signed an accord on Tuesday for imports of Chinese garlic, according to a report by Chinadaily.The agreement would be effective from Wednesday. Both countries initiated in mid-July an agreement to end a damaging dispute over garlic after about two weeks of talks in Beijing. The row started when South Korea raised its import duty on Chinese garlic to 315 percent from 30 percent between November 1999 and May 2000. China's garlic exports to South Korea were valued at $9 million last year. China retaliated on June 7 by banning imports of South Korean mobile telephones and polyethylene estimated at more than $510 million last year. Under the formal agreement, China would resume imports of South Korean mobile phones and polyethylene from Wednesday. South Korea in return would import 32,000 tonnes, 33,728 tonnes and 35,448 tonnes of Chinese garlic per year at tariffs of 30 and 50 percent for the next three years from this year, foreign affairs officials said. The officials said the country would charge higher tariffs on garlic imported over the quota. |
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