US President Donald Trump on Sunday called on China to dramatically increase its soybean imports from America, suggesting such a move could help narrow Beijing’s trade gap with Washington.
“China is worried about its shortage of soybeans. Our great farmers produce the most robust soybeans. I hope China will quickly quadruple its soybean orders. This is also a way of substantially reducing China’s trade deficit with the US. Rapid service will be provided. Thank you President Xi,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
Tariff Truce Deadline Nears
A temporary suspension of tariffs between the two countries is set to end on August 12, although Trump’s administration has hinted the deadline might be extended. China is the world’s largest soybean buyer, accounting for over 60% of global imports. Its main suppliers are Brazil and the US.
Trump’s post quickly influenced the market. The most-active soybean futures contract on the Chicago Board of Trade rose 2.13% to $10.08 per bushel at 0446 GMT, after remaining flat before his remarks.
Scale of Demand Would Be Unprecedented
Last year, China imported about 105 million metric tons of soybeans — just under 25% from the US, with the majority coming from Brazil. Meeting Trump’s target would mean China purchasing well over 80 million tons from America, an unprecedented volume that would require a massive overhaul of its existing trade and supply chain arrangements. Experts say such a shift would disrupt long-standing contracts with South American suppliers and could also push global prices sharply higher. “It’s highly unlikely that China would ever buy four times its usual volume of soybeans from the US,” said Johnny Xiang, founder of Beijing-based AgRadar Consulting. He noted that in recent years, China has steadily reduced its reliance on US soybeans, preferring to secure more from South America due to stable supply, competitive prices, and fewer political tensions.
Trade History and Current Tensions
Under the Phase One trade agreement from Trump’s first term, China pledged to increase imports of US farm products, including soybeans. However, it fell well short of those commitments.
This year, the strain in US-China trade relations remains. China has not booked any US soybean orders for the fourth quarter, sparking concern among American farmers as the harvest and export season approaches.
The US soybean sector has been searching for new markets, but no other country comes close to China’s buying capacity. In 2024, China purchased 22.13 million tons from the US and 74.65 million tons from Brazil.
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