President Trump said Thursday that China has agreed to purchase soybeans and other agricultural products from the U.S., a major breakthrough after many American farmers had faced hardship amid a trade standoff with Beijing.
Trump said Chinese President Xi Jinping authorized the sale of soybeans, sorghum and “other farm products” during their meeting in South Korea.
“We’re in agreement on so many elements,” he told reporters aboard Air Force One following the meeting in South Korea. “Large amounts, tremendous amounts of the soybeans and other farm products are going to be purchased immediately, starting immediately.”
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Thursday on Fox Business Network that China had agreed to buy 12 million metric tons of soybeans through the remainder of the year and 25 million tons per year for the next three years.
Soybean farmers in particular had been hit hard by Trump’s tit-for-tat tariffs with China. Agriculture Department data showed soybeans were the largest agricultural export from the U.S. in 2024.
Roughly half those exports went to China, but that number dropped to zero earlier this year after Beijing stopped purchasing U.S. soybeans amid a trade dispute with the Trump administration.
Instead, China purchased soybeans from Argentina, fueling frustration from Republican farm state lawmakers.
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