China to lift part of the embargo on Japanese beef - is it an aim to appeal to improve relations?

Recently Mainichi Shimbun On-line reported the following:

中国が日本産牛肉の禁輸一部解除 関係改善アピールする狙いか

 毎日新聞 2019/12/23 23:14

　中国メディアは23日、中国が牛海綿状脳症（BSE）発生を理由に2001年から輸入を禁止している日本産牛肉について、禁輸措置を一部解除したと報じた。23日には安倍晋三首相が日中韓首脳会談出席などのため中国入りし、来春には習近平国家主席の訪日も予定され、日中関係改善をアピールする狙いもありそうだ。

　中国税関総署と農業農村省は19日付の公告で、リスク評価の結果、「生後30カ月以下の日本産牛の骨なし肉」の禁輸措置を同日付で解除すると発表した。検疫体制などの詳細は別途定めるとしている。

　日中両政府は11月、日本産牛肉の対中輸出再開の前提となる動物衛生・検疫分野の協定に署名した。日本の農林水産省によると、実際に日本から輸出を再開するには食肉の安全基準や、処理施設の認定など細かなルールを両国間で詰める必要があり、なお時間がかかる見通しだ。【北京・赤間清広】

Translation

Chinese media reported on the 23rd that China had lifted some embargoes on Japanese beef which had been banned from importing in 2001 due to bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE). Prime Minister Shinzo Abe arrived at China on the 23rd to attend the Japan-China-ROK summit, and also to schedule a visit by Xi Jinping to Japan next spring which had a likely aim to appeal to improve Sino-Japanese relations.

The Chinese Customs Administration and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs announced in a public announcement on 19th that, based on the result of risk assessments, they would lift the embargo on the same date on "boneless meat from Japanese cows of less than 30 months old". Quarantine system details etc. would be specified separately.

  

In November, the two governments signed an agreement on animal health and quarantine which was a prerequisite for resuming Japanese beef exports to China. According to Japan's Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, restarting exports from Japan would require detailed rules between the two countries, such as meat safety standards and certification of processing facilities, and furthermore it was expected that restarting exports could take some time.

          So, it seems that China is trying to keep a good relationship with its neighboring countries as China-US trade disputes might continue for a long time.