When the G7 leaders met this weekend in French Biarritz, the US-China trade war was the focus. On Monday, US President Donald Trump said China wants to agree.

"We will start negotiating very soon ... but I think we will reach an agreement," he said.

But hopes of a repaired relationship have recently been both aroused and extinguished. For example, in December, when a unique statement from China's customs office prompted some to raise their eyebrows.

Optimism in winter

China then opened for the first time in modern times for rice imports from the United States. On paper, China opened its rice market when it joined the WTO in 2001, but food regulations virtually stopped imports. That was now changed.

"The issued US rice permit indicates that the US-China relationship is improving," Cherry Zhang, an analyst at consulting firm JCI, told Reuters.

At the same time, many evaluators were cautious in their optimism. China produces a lot of its own rice and American rice is expensive compared to rice from Asian countries. Perhaps there are richer Chinese customers, but it all appeared mostly as a way of showing good will.

It has happened ever since

Yes, other than for the rice farmers who have long tried to get to the export.

In July, a company in California became the first in the United States to sell rice to China. The deal involves two shipping containers, but Sun Valley Rice hopes it will be more in the future.

"We really hope for a strong and persistent demand for American rice in China, which in turn gives farmers in California more opportunities," Ken LaGrande, who together with his father founded the company, told CNN.

Do not pull on the smile bands

But despite the happy calls, so far no Chinese have had the US export crisis on the plate. It is still stated to be in a warehouse in California pending shipping.

When asked by US NPR if there are any industry jokes about selling rice to China, Jim Guinn of the US agency Rice answers no. In the tense situation, it is easy to keep yourself from laughing.

- I haven't heard anyone joking. Everyone is taking this seriously, the trade tensions between the two countries.