During February's USDA Outlook Forum, Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack and U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai discussed China during.

"The overall relationship with China is a really, really important one; profoundly consequential.  But it is also a complicated one and becoming increasingly complex."

Tai said U.S./China trade talks focus on the phase one deal.

"It was just in the last couple weeks that full year 2021 trade data has come out and it is confirmed for us what we saw in the trends for 2021.  Which is that, when you look at the level of commitments on purchases, agricultural and non-agricultural, that the Chinese made to the U.S. government and to U.S. producers two years ago; the performance has been uneven.  And that we have shortfalls that we have to contend with."

Tai adds that in recent months, her team has been in talks to see how to, in her words, make good on the agreement.

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