China allows US rice imports for first time ahead of trade talks

China is allowing rice imported from the U.S. for the first time ahead of trade talks between the two nations, Reuters reported Friday.

Trade talks are scheduled for sometime next month, according to China. President Trump and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping had announced that they would be halting the implementation of more tit-for-tat tariffs for 90 days as the two sides seek to resolve their disputes.

{mosads}As of Dec. 27, the U.S. can export brown, polished and crushed rice to China, although according to Reuters it is still unclear how much can be sent.

This change may be indicative of improved trade relations between the two nations.

“The permission for U.S. rice suggests an improving U.S. and China relationship,” Cherry Zhang, an agriculture analyst with consultancy JCI, told Reuters.

China technically opened its rice market when it joined the World Trade Organization in 2001, but protocol issues between the U.S. and China basically banned imports, per Reuters.