According to AP, the US is close to winning a World Trade Organization (WTO ) trade dispute with China over restrictions on the sale of American CDs, DVDs, books and computer software.

Expert sources told the news agency that the WTO has found Beijing to be in breach of international trade rules by forcing American products to be sold through Chinese state-owned companies.

However, the yet-to-be-announced ruling will not constitute a complete victory for US companies, AP notes, as it will still allow China to force US films to go through one of two distributors to be shown in Chinese cinemas. There is no similar requirement for Chinese movies.