At the Committee on Market Access meeting of 15-16 October, several previous trade concerns involving China and Hong Kong/Macao were on the agenda: Restrictions on coffee and macadamia nuts from Guatemala, the EU's Carbon Border Adjustment Measure, and the bans on aquatic products from Japan imposed by

Concluding his visit to China under the shadow of concerns about persistent trade imbalances, French President Emmanuel Macron oversaw the signing of new bilateral agreements, including a document to promote investment and a pact focused on agri-food trade.

Taiwan last week lifted its ban on Japanese food imports, a restriction that had been in place since the 2011 Fukushima disaster. The move comes as diplomatic relations between Beijing and Tokyo sour over comments by Japanese officials regarding Taiwan's status.

The Chinese government has formally implemented key commitments from its recent trade truce with the United States, issuing a series of official documents to de-escalate economic tensions. The measures include the suspension of export controls on some items, and the lifting of sanitary bans on some U.S. goods.

China's General Administration of Customs (GACC) has conditionally resumed imports of aquatic products from most regions of Japan, reversing a 2023 ban imposed over concerns about wastewater discharge from the Fukushima nuclear plant. The decision follows recent bilateral agreements aimed at restarting the seafood trade after imports from

New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon visited China last week, holding meetings with top officials to affirm their commitment to deepening cooperation, especially in food safety and trade facilitation.

Last month, Japan and China reached an agreement to restart Japanese seafood exports to China under a new safety verification system, marking a potential thaw in their trade dispute.