China hopes the United States can take active steps to eliminate discriminatory measures towards Chinese poultry products, said Yao Jian, spokesman of China's Ministry of Commerce, on Friday.

Yao made the remarks in a comment on the ministry's official website on the 2010 Agriculture Appropriations Bill, which has modified the stance towards Chinese poultry imports, compared to that in the Omnibus Appropriations Act 2009.

"We welcome the changes," Yao said.

He pointed out, however, there are still restrictions against Chinese poultry products in the new bill.

"China is evaluating whether the restrictions are totally in line with the non-discrimination principle of the WTO and other relevant regulations," Yao said.

"China's poultry products are safe and reliable... We hope the United States can stand on the footing of maintaining mutual benefit in China-US trade and take active steps to eliminate discriminatory measures and normalize bilateral poultry trade at an early date," Yao said.

Yao hoped that the US could modify relevant regulations to resume poultry imports from China.

The US House of Representatives passed the US$410-billion Omnibus Appropriations Act 2009 in February, which said "none of the funds made available in this Act may be used to establish or implement a rule allowing poultry products to be imported into the United States from the PRC."

(Xinhua News Agency October 24, 2009)