China-U.S. Trade Prospects and ASF Vaccine Research
From the Ag Information Network, I'm Bob Larson with your Agribusiness Update.**Word that China is offering a path to eliminate the U.S. trade imbalance would be incredible if it becomes reality.
Bloomberg is reporting China has offered to go on a six-year buying spree that would increase annual goods imports from the U-S with a combined value of more than $1 trillion.
According to agweb.com, that would push China's trade surplus with the U.S. to zero by 2024.
The source asked Bloomberg for anonymity.
https://www.agweb.com/article/china-trade-update-elimination-of-trade-imbalance/
**China's Ministry of Science and Technology says it's trying to develop a vaccine for African swine fever, focusing on the "live" vaccine.
Agweb.com reports, the quest for a vaccine for this deadly, highly transmissible virus has been going on for 50 years.
Liz Wagstrom, chief veterinarian at the National Pork Producers Council says it's no easy feat, because ASF is the largest virus known to man.
A typical virus might have 10 to 12 proteins. ASF has over 150.
https://www.agweb.com/article/china-searches-for-african-
swine-fever-vaccine/
**As the U.S. and European Union gear up for free-trade talks, disagreement over what will be negotiated could sink the effort.
As agweb.com reports, the split reflects competing claims about what exactly was agreed upon last July at a White House meeting between President Trump and European Commission chief Jean-Claude Juncker.
U.S. officials say a pledge by the two leaders to lower trans-Atlantic trade barriers extends to agriculture. The EU insists the political pact is limited to industrial goods.
https://www.agweb.com/article/whos-right-us-and-eu-contradict-each-other-on-trade-talks/