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Senators ask China to be held accountable on biotech

A bipartisan group of U.S. Senators has sent a letter to President Obama urging him to keep China accountable on its biotechnology approval commitments.

The letter was sent ahead of meetings between the US and China, and the Joint Commission on Commerce and Trade, and asks for biotechnology approvals to be a priority.

The Senators stress that American producers rely on access to the global market for the food and fiber they harvest and in order to remain competitive around the world, trading partners need to honor the commitments they make.

The lawmakers say the Chinese government has failed to remain transparent, science-based, and timely in its regulatory process and that impacts farmers’ and ranchers’ abilities to access critical markets.

The letter has signatures from 37 Senators, including 16 members of the Senate Agriculture Committee.