China signals tariff cuts to expand U.S. agricultural imports after Xi–Trump talks

China’s commerce ministry said on May 16 that Beijing and Washington agreed after this week’s Xi-Trump summit to expand agricultural trade through tariff reductions and steps on non-tariff barriers. The ministry described the measures as preliminary and said they would be finalized “as soon as possible.” That account added detail that President Donald Trump had not publicly laid out when he left Beijing on May 15, after touting Chinese purchases of U.S. goods. The gap between China’s description and Trump’s public remarks has left the immediate trade outcome of the summit open to competing readings. ### What did China say was actually agreed? Beijing’s commerce ministry said Saturday that the two sides would promote two-way trade, including in agricultural products, through reciprocal tariff reductions across a range of goods. It did not identify which products would get lower tariffs. The ministry also said China and the United States agreed to “resolve or make substantive progress” on non-tariff barriers and market-access issues. In practical terms, that included addressing U.S. concerns over the registration of beef facilities and poultry exports from certain U.S. states. (usnews.com) ### Why does the tariff language matter? The New York Times reported on May 16 that China’s Ministry of Commerce said the countries had struck a preliminary agreement to reduce some tariffs, a description that appeared to contradict Trump’s public statements after the summit. Trump had promoted the trip as producing major Chinese purchases of U.S. airplanes, farm goods and other products, without publicly detailing U.S. tariff concessions. (usnews.com) Reuters reported that China’s farm imports from the United States still face an additional 10% levy after last year’s rounds of tit-for-tat tariffs. That helps explain why any tariff reduction on agricultural products would matter directly to private importers and processors, especially in soybeans. (nytimes.com) ### How much had farm trade already fallen? U.S. Department of Agriculture data cited by Reuters showed China’s farm imports from the United States fell 65.7% year on year to $8.4 billion in 2025. Beijing had resumed purchases of some U.S. farm goods after an October meeting and fulfilled a U.S.-stated commitment to buy 12 million metric tons of soybeans by the end of February. China has also bought some U.S. wheat cargoes and large volumes of sorghum. (usnews.com) Johnny Xiang, founder of Beijing-based AgRadar Consulting, told Reuters that tariff reductions on agricultural products would amount to a normalization of China-U.S. farm trade and allow commercial buyers to re-enter the market. Reuters also reported that market watchers expect a 10% cut in soybean tariffs, though China has not announced a product-by-product list. (usnews.com) ### What changed on beef and poultry access? China on May 15 granted five-year registration extensions to 425 U.S. beef plants whose registrations had lapsed last year, according to Reuters. Beijing also approved new five-year registrations for 77 additional U.S. facilities. (usnews.com) U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins wrote on X on May 16 that China agreed to implement beef commitments that include resuming imports from 17 U.S. states. Reuters reported that the commerce ministry also cited poultry exports from certain U.S. states as part of the market-access discussions. (usnews.com) ### What did the summit itself produce beyond agriculture? China’s foreign ministry said on May 15 that Xi Jinping and Trump had reached “a series of new common understandings” during Trump’s visit, the first U.S. presidential visit to China in nine years. Chinese state media said the two sides agreed on a new framework of “strategic stability” and planned another leaders’ meeting later this year. (usnews.com) CNBC reported that Trump invited Xi to visit the United States on Sept. 24, before the one-year trade truce reached in October 2025 expires. That gives both governments a date for the next in-person checkpoint as officials work to turn the preliminary agriculture and tariff language into specific commitments. (cnbc.com) (english.gov.cn)