The Chinese government has asked state-owned firms to stop purchasing pork and soybeans from the United States.
The move comes after the Trump administration denies Hong Kong its separate trade status from China. China could expand this to more U.S. farm goods if Washington moves forward with sanctions on Beijing.
The full impact of trade tensions is still unknown, especially combined with President Trump’s decision to pull out of the World Health Organization.
The W.H.O does not have direct jurisdiction over food and agriculture, but together with the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization they maintain the “Food Code”.
According to reports, the collection of standards promotes fair practices in food trade but, now, the United States could be left out, as the code gets updated.