China's selective US crop buying tests trade truce before summit

September 21, 2026 at 06:51 AM2 min

This digest was compiled by AI from multiple sources — links to the originals are below.

China has reached over half of its pledge to buy 25 million tons of US soybeans this year, but progress on a separate $17 billion commitment for other American farm products has largely stalled. The mixed signals come ahead of this week's presidential summit in Washington, underscoring the fragility of the trade truce both sides have worked to preserve.

Key Facts

China is over halfway to meeting its pledge to buy 25 million tons of US soybeans this year.
A separate commitment to buy at least another $17 billion of US farm products looks challenging and may depend on tariff relief.
The two annual pledges run through 2028, with the soybean agreement reached last October and the $17 billion commitment following at the May meeting.
The US and China have discussed cutting tariffs on goods including American energy and agricultural products ahead of the summit.

Soybean Purchases

Since presidents Donald Trump and Xi Jinping last met in May, sales of the new crop harvested in the fall have picked up dramatically. Hitting the annual target for soybeans seems doable, according to agricultural broker Kang Wei Cheang of StoneX Group Inc. in Singapore. Cheang said China is likely to meet the soybean commitment because soybean imports remain critical to China's feed and vegetable oil sectors and the volume is manageable within overall import requirements. US soybeans loom large because the country is a major producer and it is hard to forgo US supply entirely, said Even Pay, a director at Beijing-based advisory firm Trivium China.

Stalled Farm Product Commitment

The second pledge to buy at least another $17 billion of US farm products at this point looks challenging and may depend on Beijing offering relief on tariffs if it is to be met. The $17 billion commitment followed at the May meeting and is prorated for this year. It is not clear if the dollar figure could include soybeans, which have typically accounted for the lion's share of trade. For other oilseeds, grains and meat, China has more options, according to Trivium China's Even Pay.

Tariff Discussions

The two nations have discussed cutting tariffs on goods including American energy and agricultural products ahead of the summit. Traders say such tariff cuts could open the door to stepped up purchases from the US. The White House did not respond to a request for comment.