China Scraps Probe Into Near $1 Billion U.S. Sorghum Imports

China scrapped an anti-dumping and anti-subsidy probe into U.S. sorghum imports as the two countries seek to resolve a trade dispute.

The investigation isn’t in line with public interest, China’s Ministry of Commerce said in a statement on Friday. The Asian country announced the probe in February and in April imposed a 178.6 percent anti-dumping deposit. The ministry said it will return the deposits.

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Authorities found that the investigation “will increase costs for downstream breeding sector as well as living costs for a majority of consumers,” the ministry said.

The end of the investigation comes after China offered President Donald Trump a $200 billion reduction in its annual trade surplus with the U.S. by increasing imports of American products and other steps, according to a Trump administration official who spoke on the condition of anonymity. Chinese Vice Premier Liu He is in the U.S. this week for talks on the trade dispute. The Asian country imported about $957 million of U.S. sorghum last year, according to customs data.

— With assistance by Shuping Niu