April 2013 Trade Bulletin

Highlights of this month’s edition:

• Bilateral trade: Trade declines in February due to Chinese Lunar New Year; U.S. exports to China expand at twice the pace of last year, but U.S. imports from China also up, leading to rising deficit; USTR and Treasury put pressure on new Chinese leadership to widen market access
• Sector spotlight: ATP deficit widens further; Congress signs act to limit procurement of Chinese IT products by federal government; WTO negotiations on technology product duties make progress; USCC will hold field hearing on April 25 to assess market access for U.S. agricultural exports to China, as China has become top export market for U.S. agriculture but imports mainly low value-added products
• China’s economy: Business sentiment high among Chinese banks and manufacturers but property market presents risks; air pollution becomes major issue