China says US farm purchases hinge on tariff-cut deal
In China, Reuters reported that China is open to buying more US farm goods, but only if the two sides implement their reciprocal tariff-cut agreement, the commerce nistry said on Thursday, signaling tariff concessions remain central to Beijing’s aims.
Following a September summit between Presidents Xi Jinping and Donald Trump in Washington, the two sides proposed a $60 billion package of reciprocal tariff cuts, including roughly $17 billion worth of US farm goods that China imported in 2024, though the plan has yet to be finalized, according to the report.
“China has consistently been open to expanding purchases of agricultural products from the US, but only on the condition that the two sides implement their agreed ‘$30 for-$30 billion’ reciprocal tariff-reduction arrangement,” commerce ministry spokesperson Huang Ling said.
China hopes the US will work with it to lower tariffs, reduce non-tariff barriers and expand market access, Huang added.
The White House said in May that Beijing had agreed to buy $17 billion of US agricultural goods annually from 2026, with this year’s target adjusted on a prorated basis.
Those purchases were in addition to a commitment made in October last year to buy US soybeans, according to a report.
China is on track to meet soybean purchase target, but bought only $7.2 billion of other US agricultural products, including meat and corn, between January and September, according to a Reuters analysis.
Category: Food & Agriculture
