• China is rapidly accelerating purchases of U.S. agricultural commodities, including soybeans, sorghum, and logs, following the recent Trump-Xi trade agreement.
  • Beijing has suspended all retaliatory tariffs on U.S. farm goods imposed since March 2025, effectively ending multiple trade barriers.
  • The commitment includes purchasing at least 12 million metric tons of U.S. soybeans in 2025 and 25 million metric tons annually from 2026-2028.

China has moved swiftly to implement its agricultural purchasing commitments under the new U.S.-China trade framework, with significant volumes of American soybeans, sorghum, and logs now flowing to Chinese ports. The acceleration comes after direct negotiations between President Trump and President Xi Jinping that both sides described as productive.

According to people familiar with the matter, Chinese state-owned enterprises have been actively booking U.S. cargoes in recent weeks, particularly for soybeans, where purchases had been lagging earlier in the year. As of mid-November, only about 332,000 tons of the promised 12 million metric tons for 2025 had been secured, but recent activity suggests a substantial ramp-up is underway.

"The pace has definitely picked up in the last month," said one commodities trader who requested anonymity to discuss confidential trade flows. "We're seeing consistent bookings that, if maintained, would put them on track to meet the annual commitment."

The trade détente includes China's suspension of all retaliatory tariffs on U.S. agricultural goods that had been implemented since March 2025. The suspended tariffs affected a wide range of products including chicken, wheat, corn, cotton, soybeans, pork, beef, and dairy. Both nations have also paused newly implemented port fees on ships, reducing transaction costs for agricultural exporters.

U.S. exports to China had already reached $14 billion by July 2025, according to customs data, and are expected to rise substantially with the new purchasing commitments. The resumption of sorghum and log purchases, which had been largely halted during the trade dispute, provides additional revenue streams for American producers.

Farm organizations have reacted positively to the developments, though with cautious optimism given China's sometimes inconsistent follow-through on past trade promises. The 2020 "Phase One" deal set ambitious purchasing targets that were not always met, creating skepticism among some agricultural producers.

Efforts to reach representatives from major agricultural commodity groups for comment were unsuccessful late Tuesday. However, market participants noted that Chicago soybean futures have shown modest strength in recent sessions amid the increased Chinese buying interest.

The renewed trade flow comes as the U.S. has also secured new market access agreements with other Southeast Asian nations, including Malaysia, diversifying export opportunities for American farmers even as the China relationship stabilizes.

Correction: An earlier version of this article misstated the timeline for soybean purchase commitments. The 25 million metric ton annual commitment begins in 2026, not 2025.