China Says ‘Rampant’ U.S. Protectionism Threatens Agricultural Ties

U.S. protectionism is undermining agricultural cooperation with China, Beijing's ambassador to Washington said, warning that farmers should not bear the price of the trade war between the world's two largest economies.

Agriculture has emerged as a major point of contention between China and the U.S. as the superpowers are locked in a tariff war launched by President Donald Trump.

China in March slapped levies of up to 15% on $21 billion worth of American agricultural and food products in retaliation for sweeping U.S. tariffs. Washington and Beijing this month extended a truce for 90 days, staving off triple-digit duties on each other's goods.

U.S. agricultural exports to China fell 53% in the first half of the year from the same period in 2024, with a 51% decline in soybeans, said Xie Feng to a soybean industry event in Washington on Friday.

U.S. soybean exporters risk missing out on billions of dollars worth of sales to China this year as trade talks drag on and buyers in the top oilseed importer lock in cargoes from Brazil for shipment during the key U.S. marketing season, traders say.

Read more in an article from the American Journal of Transportation.