<p>US Secretary of Agriculture, Tom Vilsack, has reported progress on a number of trade issues with China at the U.S.-China Joint Commission on Commerce and Trade (JCCT), according to a recent press release. A number of issues for agriculture were discussed, including the potential for re-opening China's market for Washington apples and California citrus.<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">"My discussions with Premier Li Keqiang and other Chinese leaders laid the groundwork for future cooperation related to our shared interests in food security, food safety, and sustainability, as well as the expansion of export opportunities for American farmers and ranchers," Vilsack said.<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">There has been an embargo on Washington apples in China for the last two years. While China says the reason for the embargo was to protect Chinese crops from diseases, others believe it was an attempt to open US markets to Chinese apples.<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">Bud Hover, Washington State's Department of Agriculture Director, told the Seattle Times that Washington has the potential ability to double or even triple its Chinese exports, which are already large. According to Hover, China might open its markets to Washington Red and Golden Delicious apples after the Chinese New Year on January 31. During a recent visit to China, Hover said Chinese officials expressed their interest in expanding imports from the state of Washington, and that Chinese customers are willing to pay up to 80% more for American apples.<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">While no distinct resolution was reached during the joint commission regarding future fruit importations, the two countries have also committed to hold a second High Level Agricultural Symposium in 2014, with support from the U.S.-China Agriculture and Food Partnership (AFP). With this issue gaining momentum, perhaps we will see movement on this soon.<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><a class="btn btn-sm btn-primary col-lg-12" style="white-space: normal;" href="http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/usda/usdahome?contentid=2013/12/0248.xml&navid=NEWS_RELEASE&navtype=RT&parentnav=LATEST_RELEASES&edeployment_action=retrievecontent" target="_new"> USDA </a><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><a class="btn btn-sm btn-primary col-lg-12" style="white-space: normal;" href="http://seattletimes.com/html/localnews/2022511096_chinaagxml.html" target="_new"> Seattle Times </a></p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">
