DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) - Despite the goodwill expressed with Champagne toasts and speeches on cooperation during Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping's visit to the farm belt this week, the world's two largest economies still have thorny disagreements over agricultural trade to resolve.
Whether it's apples, beef or chicken, trade remains complicated.
China and the U.S. are among each other's most important trade partners, but both want the other to buy more.
The U.S. has complaints about China's import taxes and refusal to buy beef, while China wants the U.S. to lift its poultry restrictions. It's a sign of agriculture's importance that Xi chose to make it a focal point of this week's trip.
US officials say this wasn't the time to focus on differences, but they plan a trade mission to China in March.
(Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
