Ministry of Commerce (MOC) spokesman Yao Jian said China strongly opposes US decision to impose special protectionist tariffs on tire

imports from China. Yao said China has held negotiations with the US over the case but the US still sticks to this decision, which is serious trade protectionism, with which China is strongly dissatisfied.

The Ministry said the US had violated the WTO rule by this decision, and also its relevant commitments made on the G-20 financial summit. The business situation of the US tire producers has shown no apparent changes after the entry of Chinese products. There exists no direct competition between China’s tire products and the US made ones as China’s tires mainly go for the US maintenance market.

Join Forces In Science Research In Between China And Costa Rica

Costa Rican National Institute of Biodiversity

Costa Rica and China signed a statement of understanding recently to promote joint scientific research and exchanges.

The agreement signed by the Costa Rican National Institute of Biodiversity (INBio) and the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) under last year’s Science and Cooperation Technology Agreement between the two countries.

Chinese Academy of Sciences

The new deal came after delegations of both countries paid high-level visits and held extended conversations. A high-level delegation from Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences and the Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, both part of the CAS, visited Costa Rica in 2008. This was followed by a visit by Costa Rican experts to China at the beginning of 2009.