China seeks to defuse trade tensions with reversals on cars, American corn

China took more steps to defuse trade tensions with the US, confirming it will remove the retaliatory duty on automobiles imported from America and preparing to restart purchases of American corn.

The 25 percent tariff imposed on vehicles as a tit-for-tat measure will be scrapped starting Jan. 1, the finance ministry said Friday. China also may buy at least 3 million metric tons of American corn, said people familiar with the discussions, who asked not to be named as the information is confidential.

The moves come two weeks after President Donald Trump and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping agreed to a truce