The United States says China may extend the transitional period

Lead: Beijing (Reuters) - Beijing (Reuters) - China may announce an extension of the transition period for imports of genetically modified soybeans ahead of President Jiang Zemin's meeting with U.S President George W Bush next month, a senior U.S official said on Wednesday Alan Johnson, chief agricultural negotiator for BEC's U.S trade negotiator, said the Chinese government assured him that China would make a statement on the GM regulations before the U.S Summit on October 25 at President Bush's ranch in Crawford, Texas After the negotiations in Beijing, BEC Johnson told reporters that China will make sure to make a statement before the summit in Crawford so that [Sino US soybeans] will not be disturbed Asked if China would extend the original transitional period regulations after December 20, he said China's assurances convinced him that it would BEC signed a temporary agreement in March this year between China and the United States to resume soybean trade between the two countries China's $1 billion soybean trade with the United States has been affected by the controversial and ambiguous regulations on the import of genetically modified products BEC Johnson said Wednesday that China's assurances came from several senior Chinese officials, including Long Yongtu, Vice Minister of foreign trade and economic cooperation, and Li Lanqing, vice premier Johnson's U.S delegation is to iron out trade disputes before the two countries' summit and hold extensive discussions with senior Chinese officials BEC