China ends US sorghum anti-dumping probe, OKs Toshiba deal

China has dropped an anti-dumping investigation and given long awaited approval for the sale of Toshiba's memory chip business, in gestures that could suggest a thaw between Beijing and the U.S. as trade talks resumed in Washington.

The Commerce Ministry said today ended the probe into imported US sorghum because it's not in the public interest. A day earlier, Beijing cleared the way for a group led by US private equity firm Bain Capital to buy Toshiba Corp.'s computer memory chip business.

The moves signaled Beijing's willingness to make a deal with Washington amid talks between senior US and Chinese officials aimed at averting a trade war between the world's two biggest economies, analysts say.

"I think China is willing to make concessions," said Wang Tao, chief China economist at UBS.

"The Chinese stance has been very clear, that China wants to mute any trade dispute. But of course it doesn't mean China would heed to all the demands the US would place."