China has committed to buying at least $17 billion worth of American agricultural products over the next three years, according to the White House, in what could become one of the most significant economic outcomes from President Donald Trump’s summit with Chinese leader Xi Jinping in Beijing.
The announcement also included plans for China to work with US regulators to lift suspensions on American beef facilities and resume poultry imports from US states free of avian influenza.
The move is being seen as an attempt to stabilise trade ties between the world’s two largest economies after years of tariffs, restrictions and supply chain tensions.
Analysts See Possible Return To Pre-Trade War Trade Levels
Analysts said the pledge could bring US-China agricultural trade back towards levels seen before the trade war between Washington and Beijing.
Johnny Xiang, founder of Agradar Consulting, said purchases worth $17 billion would represent a “normalisation” of bilateral agricultural trade.
Even Rogers Pay, director at Trivium China, said that alongside soybean purchases, the deal could help restore annual US agricultural exports to China to more than $30 billion, similar to figures seen in the mid-2010s and in 2023–24.
“It would be a relief to return to business as usual for America’s farm economy,” he said.
Questions Remain Over Implementation
Despite the announcement, some analysts warned that there is still uncertainty over whether the commitments will fully materialise.
Xu Hongzhi, senior analyst at Beijing Orient Agribusiness Consultants, noted that the talks produced no formal joint statement or signed trade agreement.
“The $17 billion can at most be understood as an intention to purchase,” he said, adding that the certainty of implementation remained “relatively low”.
Others pointed out that China has not yet officially cancelled retaliatory tariffs imposed on US beef and poultry products during earlier trade disputes.
US Beef Could Challenge Existing Suppliers
Analysts also said renewed access for American beef could reshape competition inside China’s food market.
Rosa Wang, analyst at JCI, said US frozen beef products are generally cheaper than imports from South America and could quickly increase supply if hundreds of US companies regain market access.
Brazil and Australia currently dominate China’s imported beef market, accounting for more than 70% of frozen beef imports.
If fully implemented, the measures would mark one of the clearest economic deliverables to emerge from the Trump-Xi summit, even as broader geopolitical tensions between Washington and Beijing remain unresolved.
(with inputs from Reuters)
