China has agreed to purchase at least $17 billion of agricultural products from the U.S. annually through 2028, according to a White House fact sheet released Sunday. These purchases are intended to supplement existing commitments to buy 25 million metric tons of soybeans each year. The deal emerged following a two-day summit in Beijing between President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping.
Restored market access
Beyond bulk crop purchases, the agreement aims to reopen trade lanes for American meat and aviation. The White House reported that China has renewed expired registrations for more than 400 U.S. beef facilities and will work to lift suspensions on remaining plants. Additionally, Beijing committed to an initial purchase of 200 Boeing aircraft and agreed to address export restrictions on rare earth minerals, including neodymium and indium, which are critical for smartphone and weapons manufacturing.
- China will resume poultry imports from U.S. states determined to be free of avian influenza.
- The two nations will establish a board of trade and a board of investment to manage non-sensitive commerce.
- U.S. agricultural exports to China fell to $8.3 billion in 2025, down from $24 billion in 2024, as the trade dispute intensified.
The tariff disconnect. Discrepancies remain between the two governments' accounts of the summit regarding trade levies. China’s Ministry of Commerce stated that both sides reached a preliminary agreement to reduce some tariffs. However, the White House fact sheet was silent on the matter, and Trump told reporters on Air Force One that they did not discuss tariffs during the meetings.
The agreement faces skepticism following previous shortfalls. China failed to meet targets set in a 2020 deal to buy an extra $200 billion in U.S. goods, and it recently shifted toward cheaper Brazilian soybeans. Farmers also face rising input costs, including a surge in fertilizer prices linked to the conflict in Iran and the continued closure of the Strait of Hormuz.
Xi Jinping is scheduled to visit the White House in September.
