China is over halfway to meeting its pledge to buy 25 million tons of U.S. soybeans this year, but progress on a separate commitment to spend billions of dollars more on American crops has largely stalled. The mixed signals ahead of this week’s presidential summit in Washington underscore the fragility of a trade truce both sides have worked carefully to preserve. Agriculture has proven to be an area where the U.S. and China have found common ground, offering tangible incentives to help build a more stable relationship that’s usually defined by economic and geopolitical rivalry.
Hitting the annual target for soybeans, at least, seems doable. Since presidents Donald Trump and Xi Jinping last met in May, sales of the new crop harvested in the fall have picked up dramatically. But the second pledge to buy at least another $17 billion of U.S. farm products at this point looks challenging, and may depend on Beijing offering relief on tariffs if it’s to be met.
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