BEIJING: China and the United States have reached a preliminary agreement to expand agricultural trade, reduce tariffs and ease trade barriers following U.S. President Donald Trump’s recent visit to Beijing, marking a significant step toward improving strained trade relations between the two countries.
China’s Ministry of Commerce said on Saturday that both sides agreed to promote two-way trade, including agricultural products, through reciprocal tariff reductions and better market access. The ministry added that details of the agreements would be finalised soon.
Agricultural trade between the two countries had sharply declined after rounds of retaliatory tariffs last year. U.S. agricultural exports to China fell by more than 65 percent in 2025, dropping to $8.4 billion.
After talks held in October, Beijing resumed purchases of selected American farm goods, including soybeans, wheat and sorghum. Analysts say a possible 10 percent reduction in soybean tariffs could encourage private Chinese companies to return to the U.S. market after remaining largely absent during last year’s harvest season.
China also signaled willingness to address U.S. concerns regarding beef facility registrations and poultry exports. Beijing has already extended registrations for hundreds of American beef plants, allowing them to resume exports to the Chinese market.
