https://www.scmp.com/rss/330413/feed en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Ralph Jennings Ralph Jennings China and Kazakhstan, its Central Asian neighbour and strategic partner, are set to launch a joint grain-trading platform to bolster food security – a long-standing priority for Beijing and a pressing global concern following the outbreak of the Iran war. The two sides agreed to the initiative during a meeting in Astana on Thursday between Kazakh Agriculture Vice-Minister Yermek Kenzhekhanuly and Liu Huanxin, head of China’s National Food and Strategic Reserves Administration, the Kazakh... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3354530/china-kazakhstan-set-launch-food-security-trade-platform-wake-iran-war?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3354530/china-kazakhstan-set-launch-food-security-trade-platform-wake-iran-war?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 22 May 2026 10:00:11 +0000 Yuanyue Dang Yuanyue Dang China has agreed to buy at least US$17 billion in US agricultural products annually through 2028, the White House said on Sunday. The commitment resulted from the summit between US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping last week and will be in addition to soybean purchase commitments that were made in October 2025, according to a fact sheet released by the White House. Trump concluded his highly-anticipated state visit to China on Friday, during which he discussed topics... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3353903/china-will-buy-least-us17-billion-us-farm-goods-annually-white-house-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3353903/china-will-buy-least-us17-billion-us-farm-goods-annually-white-house-says?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 17 May 2026 19:50:48 +0000 Xiaofei Xu,Ji Siqi,Xinyi Wu Xiaofei Xu,Ji Siqi,Xinyi Wu China and the United States have agreed to establish trade and investment councils, committing in principle to match each other’s tariff cuts on a reciprocal basis. “The two sides will use the Trade Council as a forum to discuss issues such as tariff reductions on specific products,” China’s Ministry of Commerce said in a statement on Saturday, without providing further details. The world’s two largest economies also made progress on agricultural trade and aircraft, the statement added. The two... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3353840/china-and-us-agree-establish-trade-and-investment-councils-after-xi-trump-summit?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3353840/china-and-us-agree-establish-trade-and-investment-councils-after-xi-trump-summit?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 16 May 2026 15:05:04 +0000 Mandy Zuo Mandy Zuo China’s purchase of “double-digit billions” in American agricultural products touted by US officials following President Donald Trump’s state visit to Beijing appears to be a marginal addition after factoring in previous commitments, analysts said, adding that new orders could reduce the country’s reliance on Brazil for soybeans and other items. US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said on ‌Friday that he expects to see China buy a 10-figure sum in agricultural products annually over the next... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3353803/soybean-counters-scope-china-us-farm-deal-depends-math-analysts-say?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3353803/soybean-counters-scope-china-us-farm-deal-depends-math-analysts-say?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 16 May 2026 13:00:06 +0000 David Dodwell David Dodwell Even as “China shock 2.0” is roiling Western manufacturers, we must, it seems, brace for “China shock 3.0” – to the global food economy – as President Xi Jinping doubles down on the imperative that has obsessed Beijing for decades: food security. “China’s Food Future”, a consultation paper by Systemiq funded by the California-based Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, warns that China is poised to “reshape global agricultural commodity supply chains”. It suggests China is set to apply to... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3352799/prepare-china-shock-30-global-food-economy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3352799/prepare-china-shock-30-global-food-economy?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 08 May 2026 08:30:05 +0000 Xiaofei Xu Xiaofei Xu Trade talks between China and the United States in Paris this weekend are likely to focus on setting the scene for the Beijing summit between President Xi Jinping and US President Donald Trump later this month, analysts said, downplaying the prospects of any significant breakthroughs. Vice-Premier He Lifeng and US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent are expected to discuss potential deals on tariffs, investment, and trade in soybeans and rare earths, which would be presented as deliverables for the... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3346505/us-china-trade-talks-what-expect-senior-officials-meet-paris?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3346505/us-china-trade-talks-what-expect-senior-officials-meet-paris?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 13 Mar 2026 15:00:08 +0000 Luna Sun Luna Sun China would have bought nearly 60 per cent more goods from the United States in 2025 if not for US President Donald Trump’s trade wars, according to a former chief economist at the US State Department. That shortfall would have reached about US$90 billion for the year, wrote Chad Bown in an article published on Tuesday by the Peterson Institute for International Economics, where he is a senior fellow. His comments came as US goods exports to China declined sharply by 25.8 per cent in 2025 from a... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3345260/trumps-tariff-wars-reshaped-us-china-trade-what-cost-american-firms?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3345260/trumps-tariff-wars-reshaped-us-china-trade-what-cost-american-firms?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 03 Mar 2026 10:00:39 +0000 SCMP Reporters SCMP Reporters This document was translated from Chinese into English using Alibaba’s Qwen3.5-Plus and edited for accuracy by a Post journalist. It is for reference only and is not the official English version. Alibaba owns the South China Morning Post. https://www.scmp.com/plus/economy/china-economy/article/3344443/explaining-chinas-2026-rural-blueprint?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/economy/china-economy/article/3344443/explaining-chinas-2026-rural-blueprint?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 24 Feb 2026 08:02:47 +0000 Ji Siqi Ji Siqi Any coming high-level trade talks between Beijing and Washington will be in preparation for US President Donald Trump’s visit to China in April, analysts say, as both sides wish to keep a fragile trade truce intact, even though significant breakthroughs in the bilateral relationship remain up in the air. On Monday evening in the US, Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent posted on social media that senior Treasury staff had travelled to China last week, “to strengthen channels of communication... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3343081/next-us-china-trade-talks-tipped-advance-trump-xi-summit-fragile-truce-holds?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3343081/next-us-china-trade-talks-tipped-advance-trump-xi-summit-fragile-truce-holds?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 10 Feb 2026 13:00:08 +0000 Mandy Zuo Mandy Zuo China has been working to cut the use of soybean meal in animal feed – the primary end-use of imported soybeans – as part of its strategy to reduce external dependence, but the latest industry data suggests these efforts have made limited headway. Last year, the proportion of soybean meal in domestically produced feed stood at 13.4 per cent, unchanged from the previous year, according to data released by the China Feed Industry Association (CFIA) last week. This indicates that the goal set by... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3342864/china-failed-hit-soybean-meal-dependence-targets-last-year-us-deal-makes-it-harder?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3342864/china-failed-hit-soybean-meal-dependence-targets-last-year-us-deal-makes-it-harder?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 09 Feb 2026 07:22:02 +0000 Mandy Zuo Mandy Zuo China will “deeply participate” in agricultural trade and expand imports of products in short domestic supply, a senior official said on Wednesday, signalling strong and sustained demand for overseas soybeans – a long-standing food security concern and a flashpoint in its ties with the United States. Despite a tight balance between production and demand, China would diversify import sources and make full use of international markets, said Han Wenxiu, head of the office of the Communist Party’s... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3342390/china-signals-strong-demand-soybean-imports-2026-rural-blueprint?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3342390/china-signals-strong-demand-soybean-imports-2026-rural-blueprint?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 04 Feb 2026 11:02:46 +0000 Khushboo Razdan Khushboo Razdan After a bruising 2025 that pushed him to the brink of bankruptcy, Arkansas soybean farmer Randall Shelby starts the new year worried that US farmers could once again be caught in the crossfire as tensions between Washington and Beijing threaten to escalate anew. This comes as US President Donald Trump addressed farmers on Tuesday in Iowa, the United States’ second-largest soybean producer, to try to convince them that he has their best interests at heart in advance of the November midterm... https://www.scmp.com/news/us/politics/article/3341313/us-soybean-farmers-fear-china-trade-blowback-trump-ramps-pressure?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/us/politics/article/3341313/us-soybean-farmers-fear-china-trade-blowback-trump-ramps-pressure?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 27 Jan 2026 14:00:07 +0000 Mark Magnier Mark Magnier US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said on Tuesday that he met with Chinese Vice-Premier He Lifeng a day earlier on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, in advance of US President Donald Trump’s much-anticipated speech to the global body on Wednesday. Bessent’s account of the sit-down between the main interlocutors over the past tumultuous year between Beijing and Washington suggests the pieces are in place to go ahead with a summit in Beijing between Trump and... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3340607/bessent-meets-chinas-he-lifeng-davos-praises-trade-progress-soybeans-rare-earths?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3340607/bessent-meets-chinas-he-lifeng-davos-praises-trade-progress-soybeans-rare-earths?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 20 Jan 2026 15:42:44 +0000 Bloomberg Bloomberg China has bought at least 8 million tons (7.25 million tonnes) of US soybeans this year, according to people familiar with the matter, putting the world’s top importer on track to meet a pledge it made two months ago as part of an apparent trade truce with Washington. State-owned buyers have continued to book US cargoes into late December, the people said, asking not to be named as they are not authorised to discuss the purchases. That extends a buying spree that began in October and maintains a... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3338347/china-buys-two-thirds-pledged-us-soybeans-2025-closes?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3338347/china-buys-two-thirds-pledged-us-soybeans-2025-closes?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 31 Dec 2025 17:13:49 +0000 Mandy Zuo Mandy Zuo China, the world’s top soybean consumer, faces a complex balancing act when securing supplies. With 90 per cent of market demand met by imports, Brazil and the United States remain its top suppliers, but intensifying efforts to promote self-sufficiency are seeking to reduce reliance on imports. From price swings and quality traits to strategic roles in the market, soybeans from the three countries tell different stories about China’s quest for stability and security that can be broken down into... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3336790/what-does-future-hold-brazil-us-chinas-soybean-balancing-act?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3336790/what-does-future-hold-brazil-us-chinas-soybean-balancing-act?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 17 Dec 2025 14:30:08 +0000 Reuters Reuters US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, a major figure in implementing US President Donald Trump’s economic agenda including tariffs, disclosed on Sunday that he has recently divested his interests in a soybean farm to comply with the ethics agreement he signed last January when he joined the administration. The divestiture comes four months after the US Office of Government Ethics informed the Senate Finance Committee in an August 11 letter that Bessent had failed to comply with certain terms of... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3335539/us-treasury-secretary-scott-bessent-says-he-has-divested-his-soybean-farm?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3335539/us-treasury-secretary-scott-bessent-says-he-has-divested-his-soybean-farm?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 07 Dec 2025 20:55:47 +0000 SCMP SCMP We have selected seven of the most interesting and important news stories covering US-China relations from the past few weeks. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing. 1. Bankruptcies, suicides: US farmers detail cost of trade tensions High fuel costs, rising interest rates, falling crop prices and depressed Chinese demand amid geopolitical tensions had already eroded farm profits during the previous Joe Biden administration. Then came a seismic shift in US... https://www.scmp.com/news/us/diplomacy/article/3334586/soybean-pain-xi-trump-talks-ice-death-hasan-piker-7-us-china-relations-reads?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/us/diplomacy/article/3334586/soybean-pain-xi-trump-talks-ice-death-hasan-piker-7-us-china-relations-reads?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 01 Dec 2025 15:00:15 +0000 Mandy Zuo Mandy Zuo Soybeans are more than just a crop – they have become a litmus test of Beijing’s evolving food security strategy and sit at the heart of the US-China trade war. As a crucial source of animal feed and cooking oil, soybeans have remained a flashpoint throughout the ebbs and flows of the two nations’ trade disputes, from the tariff war during US President Donald Trump’s first term to the current one. Less well known is China’s transformation from soybean exporter to the world’s leading importer.... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3333382/chinas-soybean-revolution-change-rewrote-global-trade-and-tested-food-security?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3333382/chinas-soybean-revolution-change-rewrote-global-trade-and-tested-food-security?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 19 Nov 2025 22:00:10 +0000 Bloomberg Bloomberg Soybean futures jumped on signals that China is stepping up its buying of oilseed, offering hope for US farmers after purchases appeared to have stalled. Prices in Chicago rose as much as 3.2 per cent on Monday, hitting a fresh 17-month high, after US President Donald Trump said China is in the process of buying soybeans. “They’ll be doing a lot of soybean purchases,” he told reporters aboard Air Force One on Friday, adding that those purchases could start before spring. Brokerage AgResource Co... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3333172/us-soybean-futures-rebound-signs-china-ramping-purchases?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3333172/us-soybean-futures-rebound-signs-china-ramping-purchases?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 17 Nov 2025 22:21:57 +0000 David Okoronkwo David Okoronkwo After US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping shook hands in Busan last month, the headlines highlighted smiles and tariff rollbacks. Washington hailed it as a “massive victory”, saying China had pledged to buy 12 million tonnes of American soybeans by January and at least 25 million tonnes annually for the next three years. Futures on the Chicago Board of Trade surged and farmers in the US Midwest cheered. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent declared that “our great soybean... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3332390/soybean-diplomacy-us-china-now-holds-remote-control?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3332390/soybean-diplomacy-us-china-now-holds-remote-control?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 15 Nov 2025 21:30:09 +0000 Frank Chen,Alice Li,Mandy Zuo Frank Chen,Alice Li,Mandy Zuo After China and the US reached an agreement on soybeans, Beijing has signalled its intent to seek favourable terms, with the scale of future imports dependent on the competitiveness of American crops, a commerce official said. “With the adjusted tariffs, China will encourage companies to import agricultural products from the US in line with market principles,” said Chen Chao, director general of the Department of American and Oceanian Affairs at the Ministry of Commerce, in a speech at the China... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3331823/china-signals-soybean-appetite-spark-many-deals-us-farmers-if-prices-are-right?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3331823/china-signals-soybean-appetite-spark-many-deals-us-farmers-if-prices-are-right?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 06 Nov 2025 15:00:15 +0000 Frank Chen,Sylvia Ma Frank Chen,Sylvia Ma Amid the growing presence of Chinese firms in Brazil, Brazilian businesses are expressing hope of being able to further expand into China’s market, while also calling for enhanced bilateral efforts to overcome challenges such as logistical bottlenecks. “China can and should be Brazil’s largest export market for every product category,” said Christian Gogola, director of Brazilian drink company Legendaria. “But for now, more Chinese companies are entering Brazil than Brazilian firms doing... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3331655/more-soybeans-brazil-china-trade-heats-amid-investment-surge-new-opportunities?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3331655/more-soybeans-brazil-china-trade-heats-amid-investment-surge-new-opportunities?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 05 Nov 2025 13:00:15 +0000 Igor Patrick Igor Patrick Brazil’s soybean producers are downplaying concerns over a freshly minted US-China trade agreement that will see Beijing resume large-scale purchases of American soybeans, insisting the 12 million tonnes (13.23 million tons) pledged represents routine seasonal trade rather than a market upheaval. Mauricio Buffon, president of Brazil’s Soybean Producers Association (Aprosoja), said the volume announced by Washington and Beijing on Wednesday should not alarm Brazilian exporters, framing it as part... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3330968/brazil-shrugs-us-china-soybean-deal-seasonal-trade?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3330968/brazil-shrugs-us-china-soybean-deal-seasonal-trade?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 30 Oct 2025 16:31:34 +0000 Kandy Wong Kandy Wong While China’s resumption of US soybean purchases has brought relief to American farmers – who spent months worried their largest buyer may never return – analysts said they expected the trade of agricultural products to become a regular part of bilateral negotiations in the coming years. US President Donald Trump said aboard Air Force One that “tremendous amounts of the soybeans and other farm products are going to be purchased immediately”, after a meeting with President Xi Jinping in South... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3330907/us-china-soybean-deal-signals-yearly-negotiations-farmers-hope-steady-trade?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3330907/us-china-soybean-deal-signals-yearly-negotiations-farmers-hope-steady-trade?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 30 Oct 2025 09:31:46 +0000 Khushboo Razdan Khushboo Razdan American soybean farmers got some rare good news on Wednesday just hours before a high-stakes meeting between Chinese President Xi Jinping and US President Donald Trump when news broke that Beijing had placed its first order after months of trade tension that saw shipments blocked. The Trump administration hailed the move as a “positive step forward” for farmers, touting the “America first” leader’s deal-making prowess. “Today’s purchase by China of multiple ships of American soybeans signals... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3330823/relief-and-caution-china-resumes-us-soybean-purchases?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3330823/relief-and-caution-china-resumes-us-soybean-purchases?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 29 Oct 2025 17:15:56 +0000 SCMP SCMP Catch up on some of SCMP’s biggest China stories of the day. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing. 1. ‘Partnership, not pressure’, US soybean farmers urge Trump before Xi talks Increasingly desperate US farmers, including many who voted for US President Donald Trump, are urging him to adopt a conciliatory approach rather than a confrontational one if a lasting soy deal can be reached when he meets Chinese President Xi Jinping this week. 2. China sees Europe... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3330661/us-soybean-farmers-plea-trump-death-leading-ai-scientist-scmp-daily-highlights?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3330661/us-soybean-farmers-plea-trump-death-leading-ai-scientist-scmp-daily-highlights?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 28 Oct 2025 13:15:07 +0000 Khushboo Razdan Khushboo Razdan Increasingly desperate US farmers, including many who voted for US President Donald Trump, are urging him to adopt a conciliatory approach rather than a confrontational one if a lasting soy deal can be reached when he meets Chinese President Xi Jinping this week. As the harvest season slips by with no orders from China and rising input costs – from equipment to fertiliser – farmers say partnership, not strong-arming Beijing, would serve both sides better. Many voiced frustration at Washington’s... https://www.scmp.com/news/us/diplomacy/article/3330537/us-soybean-farmers-urge-trump-choose-partnership-not-pressure-ahead-xi-meeting?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/us/diplomacy/article/3330537/us-soybean-farmers-urge-trump-choose-partnership-not-pressure-ahead-xi-meeting?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 27 Oct 2025 19:50:27 +0000 Alex Lo Alex Lo Soybean imports are not usually the kind of topics that make headline news. But ever since they have become another bone of contention in the fierce trade war between China and the United States, people are suddenly paying attention. The numbers are shocking. From being the top soybean supplier, US supplies have suddenly dropped to practically zero as China switches sourcing to Argentina and Brazil. But there is a moral aspect to the US domestic story. It’s one about how seasonal workers, mostly... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/article/3330390/moral-case-china-stop-buying-american-soybeans-permanently?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/article/3330390/moral-case-china-stop-buying-american-soybeans-permanently?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 26 Oct 2025 13:17:48 +0000 Khushboo Razdan Khushboo Razdan A long-awaited trade deal between India and the United States may be facing political delays, despite broad agreement that would cut the steep 50 per cent duties imposed on New Delhi by US President Donald Trump to about 15-16 per cent, according to two people familiar with the talks. The sources, who declined to be identified given sensitive negotiations, said that while Washington is eager to conclude the deal quickly to appease US farmers caught in the crossfire with trade frictions with... https://www.scmp.com/news/us/article/3330129/trump-and-modis-tariff-tango-russian-oil-soybeans-and-delayed-deal?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/us/article/3330129/trump-and-modis-tariff-tango-russian-oil-soybeans-and-delayed-deal?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 23 Oct 2025 21:35:20 +0000 Regina de Luna,Yohji Lam Regina de Luna,Yohji Lam Soybean imports will be a key bargaining chip for China in the latest round of trade negotiations with the United States in 2025. American farmers are holding out hope of a deal ahead of an expected meeting between Chinese President Xi Jinping and US President Donald Trump, but the two nations may struggle to agree a comprehensive pact. SCMP Plus subscribers enjoy early access to selected SCMP videos. https://www.scmp.com/plus/article/3330038/chinas-boycott-us-soybeans?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/article/3330038/chinas-boycott-us-soybeans?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 23 Oct 2025 07:49:14 +0000 Mandy Zuo,Mia Nurmamat Mandy Zuo,Mia Nurmamat China imported no soybeans from the United States in September, but total imports remained at high levels amid a recent escalation in the US-China trade war, the latest Chinese customs data showed. Last month, the world’s largest food buyer purchased 12.8 million tonnes of soybeans – a crop heavily reliant on imports for its livestock industry – with a notable surge from Argentina during a brief suspension of export taxes, according to the detailed customs data released on Monday. The absence of... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3329690/chinas-soybean-imports-surge-orders-us-hit-zero-and-south-america-cashing?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3329690/chinas-soybean-imports-surge-orders-us-hit-zero-and-south-america-cashing?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 20 Oct 2025 13:00:17 +0000 SCMP SCMP Catch up on some of SCMP’s biggest China stories of the day. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing. 1. Trump threatens China with cooking oil embargo over soybean snub US President Donald Trump on Tuesday called China “economically hostile” for not buying American soybeans and threatened to halt imports of cooking oil and other products from the country in retaliation. 2. ‘Red gift bag’: US national security expert arrested over classified documents Ashley... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3329154/trump-threatens-china-over-soybean-snub-us-security-expert-held-scmp-daily-highlights?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3329154/trump-threatens-china-over-soybean-snub-us-security-expert-held-scmp-daily-highlights?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 15 Oct 2025 14:00:16 +0000 Robert Delaney,Khushboo Razdan Robert Delaney,Khushboo Razdan US President Donald Trump on Tuesday called China “economically hostile” for not buying American soybeans and threatened to halt imports of cooking oil and other products from the country in retaliation. “I believe that China purposefully not buying our soybeans and causing difficulty for our Soybean Farmers, is an Economically Hostile Act,” Trump posted on social media, the latest in a series of escalating moves since he threatened on Friday to slap an additional 100 per cent tariff on all... https://www.scmp.com/news/us/diplomacy/article/3329036/trump-threatens-china-cooking-oil-embargo-soybean-spat-escalates?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/us/diplomacy/article/3329036/trump-threatens-china-cooking-oil-embargo-soybean-spat-escalates?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 14 Oct 2025 21:18:23 +0000 Frank Chen,Kandy Wong,Sylvia Ma Frank Chen,Kandy Wong,Sylvia Ma As Washington moves to cushion the blow of China’s retreat from buying US soybeans with potential financial aid and efforts to diversify export markets, American farmers say they welcome the help but would rather see Chinese orders return. “This year is almost gone for soy farmers because they have a big harvest but no orders from China,” a farmer from Nebraska said on condition of anonymity. “Farmers prefer to return to the normal days of stable orders, from China and elsewhere, and stay free... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3328531/make-china-buy-us-soybean-farmers-tired-trade-war-blows-push-trump-act?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3328531/make-china-buy-us-soybean-farmers-tired-trade-war-blows-push-trump-act?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 10 Oct 2025 14:00:08 +0000 Khushboo Razdan Khushboo Razdan With Beijing curbing rare earth exports and shunning American soybeans, US President Donald Trump is raising pressure on China ahead of a planned meeting with Xi Jinping, threatening to halt imports while vowing to reopen its market to US farmers. During a cabinet meeting on Thursday, when asked what he hoped to achieve from potential in-person talks with Xi later this month, the America-first president emphasised the US market’s leverage over China. “We import from China massive amounts, and... https://www.scmp.com/news/us/article/3328439/trump-threatens-halt-chinese-imports-while-counting-xi-jinping-buy-us-soybeans?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/us/article/3328439/trump-threatens-halt-chinese-imports-while-counting-xi-jinping-buy-us-soybeans?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 09 Oct 2025 20:11:55 +0000 Khushboo Razdan Khushboo Razdan Shut out of China’s massive soybean market, the United States is pressing countries across Africa and Asia to step up purchases of American soybeans, as President Donald Trump’s trade team seeks new markets, while tensions over tariffs ripple through global trade. “We’re calling up all our soybean customers around the world as part of our trade negotiations,” Kevin Hassett, director of the National Economic Council at the White House, said in a CNBC interview on Monday. He added the Trump... https://www.scmp.com/news/us/economy-trade-business/article/3328056/snubbed-china-trump-team-presses-unlikely-buyers-snap-us-soybeans?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/us/economy-trade-business/article/3328056/snubbed-china-trump-team-presses-unlikely-buyers-snap-us-soybeans?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 06 Oct 2025 20:03:42 +0000 Alice Li,Kandy Wong Alice Li,Kandy Wong While US officials express expectations of meaningful progress in the next round of trade talks – where agricultural purchases are likely to top the agenda – analysts suggest soybeans are poised to become a key bargaining chip for China in upcoming negotiations, and a comprehensive deal may not be easily signed. James Downes, executive co-director at the Centre for Research and Social Progress, an Italian think tank, said that US President Donald Trump was “strongly motivated” to secure a... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3327815/soybeans-chinas-new-bargaining-chip-trade-war-us?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3327815/soybeans-chinas-new-bargaining-chip-trade-war-us?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 03 Oct 2025 13:00:09 +0000 Mandy Zuo Mandy Zuo China has called on the United States to lift its unilateral tariff measures so the two sides can restore normal trade flows of soybeans – a focal point of ongoing negotiations as many US farmers grow increasingly desperate for a bilateral deal to secure exports. Washington could take decisive action to ease tensions and bring trading of the crop – a critically important export for America’s agricultural industry – back to normalcy, Ministry of Commerce spokesman He Yadong said during a press... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3326873/soybeans-sake-cancel-tariffs-china-urges-us-farmers-grow-desperate-harvest?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3326873/soybeans-sake-cancel-tariffs-china-urges-us-farmers-grow-desperate-harvest?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 25 Sep 2025 11:09:47 +0000 Mandy Zuo,Mia Nurmamat Mandy Zuo,Mia Nurmamat China’s soybean imports remained at historically high levels in August, with companies making huge purchases from Brazil and other South American growers as they prepared for a protracted trade stand-off between Beijing and Washington. More than 12.2 million tonnes of soybeans entered China in August – the second-highest monthly total the country has ever recorded after May’s 13.9 million tonne inflow, according to detailed Chinese customs data released over the weekend. Brazil provided 10.49... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3326394/china-prepares-long-us-soybean-stand-huge-brazilian-imports?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3326394/china-prepares-long-us-soybean-stand-huge-brazilian-imports?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 22 Sep 2025 14:30:08 +0000 Mandy Zuo,Kandy Wong Mandy Zuo,Kandy Wong American farmers are “walking a tightrope” between supporting US President Donald Trump’s tariffs and suffering serious financial losses in the absence of a highly anticipated US-China trade deal, according to a seasoned farmer from South Dakota, one of the country’s top agricultural states. Mike McCranie, a soybean and corn producer, voiced support for Washington’s tariff policy “if it results in a long-term deal” but acknowledged it has hurt US farmers. No Chinese orders have been placed this... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3326006/no-orders-china-us-soybean-farmers-desperate-trade-deal-walk-tightrope?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3326006/no-orders-china-us-soybean-farmers-desperate-trade-deal-walk-tightrope?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 18 Sep 2025 15:00:09 +0000 William Zheng William Zheng China and the United States are in the “final stage” of negotiations for a state visit to Beijing by US President Donald Trump, with bulk purchases of American goods a critical part of the deliverables, the South China Morning Post has learned. The development comes on the heels of the fourth round of trade talks between the two sides in Spain and ahead of a phone call between Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday. Trump described the talks in Madrid as a success, with both sides... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3325739/trumps-china-trip-many-hinge-boeing-and-soybean-deals-sources-say?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3325739/trumps-china-trip-many-hinge-boeing-and-soybean-deals-sources-say?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 16 Sep 2025 20:00:09 +0000 Ralph Jennings,Kandy Wong Ralph Jennings,Kandy Wong Despite its vague wording, the new China-US framework deal on popular video-sharing app TikTok represents an important step in advancing bilateral talks and keeping ties warm ahead of any future meetings between the world’s two largest economies, according to analysts. And they added that Beijing could potentially try to leverage the TikTok deal by seeking tariff cuts or relief from hi-tech export controls. Officials from both powers confirmed after negotiations in Madrid, Spain, on Sunday and... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3325752/peeling-us-china-tiktok-deal-analysts-see-layers-leverage-tariffs-and-soybeans?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3325752/peeling-us-china-tiktok-deal-analysts-see-layers-leverage-tariffs-and-soybeans?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 16 Sep 2025 13:00:16 +0000 Sylvia Ma,Alice Li Sylvia Ma,Alice Li China slashed its soybean imports from the United States while increasing shipments from Brazil in July, a move that further reorients its supply from the world’s top producer even as American farmers press Washington to negotiate for larger purchases of the crop in a hypothetical trade agreement. Last month, China imported 420,873 tonnes of soybeans from the US, down 11.47 per cent from a year earlier, according to a Wednesday data release by the General Administration of Customs in... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3322524/no-us-trade-deal-china-continues-brazil-pivot-soybean-supply?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3322524/no-us-trade-deal-china-continues-brazil-pivot-soybean-supply?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 20 Aug 2025 15:00:14 +0000 Reuters Reuters American soybean farmers urged US President Donald Trump in a Tuesday letter to reach a trade deal with China that secures significant soybean purchase agreements, warning of dire long-term economic outcomes if the country continues to shun the US crop. China, the world’s largest soybean buyer, is turning to Brazilian cargoes amid trade tensions with the US and continuing negotiations. The country has not pre-purchased soybeans from the coming US harvest, an unusual delay that has worried... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3322424/us-soybean-farmers-urge-trump-make-purchase-deal-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3322424/us-soybean-farmers-urge-trump-make-purchase-deal-china?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 19 Aug 2025 17:18:45 +0000 Igor Patrick Igor Patrick China has moved early to lock in soybean supplies from Brazil for September and October, sidelining US exporters from what is traditionally their most lucrative selling period. The shift underscores Beijing’s growing trade reliance on South America and comes amid renewed political and commercial tensions with Washington. According to market analysis from Brazil’s Safras & Mercado, traders reported Chinese purchases of roughly 8 million tonnes of soybeans for September and 4 million tonnes for... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3321913/chinas-early-south-american-soybean-buys-squeeze-us-out-peak-export-window?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3321913/chinas-early-south-american-soybean-buys-squeeze-us-out-peak-export-window?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 14 Aug 2025 19:49:26 +0000 Bloomberg Bloomberg China has booked a rare shipment of soybean meal from Argentina, as the country seeks to secure supplies of a key animal feed ingredient amid an ongoing trade war with the US. Several Chinese traders and feed producers jointly ordered the cargo from the world’s top exporter of soy meal and oil as a trial shipment, according to people with knowledge of the deal. It marks the first purchase since Beijing opened the door to imports from the country in 2019, the people said. The 30,000-ton shipment... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/americas/article/3316001/china-imports-argentina-soybean-meal-trial-amid-us-tensions?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/americas/article/3316001/china-imports-argentina-soybean-meal-trial-amid-us-tensions?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 26 Jun 2025 19:23:48 +0000 Mandy Zuo Mandy Zuo Soybean farmers in the United States have stepped up efforts to diversify their export markets while maintaining China as a critical buyer, despite ongoing trade tensions between the two superpowers, according to the head of a leading industry association. Jim Sutter, CEO of the US Soybean Export Council, said that while concerns about possible disruptions persist, China’s strong demand for soybeans – a crucial commodity for food and livestock feed – would ensure the US remains an important... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3313702/us-soybean-farmers-move-reduce-dependence-china-trade-war-grinds?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3313702/us-soybean-farmers-move-reduce-dependence-china-trade-war-grinds?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 09 Jun 2025 13:00:11 +0000 Alice Li,Leopold Chen Alice Li,Leopold Chen China’s imports of American soybeans and pork plunged to zero in early May and have yet to recover despite the US-China tariff truce, suggesting the trade war may have done lasting damage to a key US export trade. For years, China has been a vital market for US agricultural products, with American farmers exporting more than US$12.8 billion of soybeans alone to the country in 2024, according to US government figures. But that trade was almost entirely severed after US President Donald Trump... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3311560/us-farmers-feel-pain-soybean-exports-china-flatline-despite-tariff-truce?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3311560/us-farmers-feel-pain-soybean-exports-china-flatline-despite-tariff-truce?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 23 May 2025 10:00:24 +0000 Bochen Han Bochen Han The costs of broad-based tariffs on Chinese imports remain too high even if the tariff reduction deal between Washington and Beijing lasts beyond 90 days, the head of a soybean industry group told US senators on Wednesday. After weekend talks in Switzerland, the two nations agreed to reduce tariffs temporarily until they reach a more substantive deal, with US tariffs on Chinese imports lowered to 30 per cent, from 145 per cent, and Chinese tariffs on US imports cut to 10 per cent, from 125 per... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3310381/lower-tariffs-remain-too-costly-soybeans-and-other-us-sectors-congress-hears?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3310381/lower-tariffs-remain-too-costly-soybeans-and-other-us-sectors-congress-hears?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 14 May 2025 21:51:45 +0000 Fan Chen Fan Chen China is expected to deepen economic ties with South American nations as it increases agricultural imports from the region and reduces reliance on the United States amid the trade war – a strategic move ahead of the China-Latin America ministerial gathering, analysts said. The world’s second-largest economy reinstated the registration of five Brazilian soybean exporters last week, allowing them to resume shipments to the mainland, according to Chinese customs authorities. In January, China... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3310034/china-expected-ramp-soybean-imports-brazil-reduce-us-reliance-amid-trade-war?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3310034/china-expected-ramp-soybean-imports-brazil-reduce-us-reliance-amid-trade-war?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 13 May 2025 02:00:13 +0000