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Soybeans

Soybeans
The latest news, analysis and opinion on Soybeans. In-depth analysis, industry insights and expert opinion.
A farmer shovels soybeans in Nebraska on April 6. Photo: AP
China trade

Once key economic weapon, US-China soy trade offers fragile relief from tensions

As the two nations address disputes ahead of the Trump-Xi summit, some American soybean farmers say they are in a better position than in 2025.

US-China trade war

US says China ‘on track’ to fulfil farm purchases ahead of Xi’s Washington visit

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China food security

China enlists AI in soybean hunt, but self-sufficiency unlikely any time soon

China trade

Fearing deflated China demand, US soybean growers pivot to new buyers, biofuel

With Chinese imports low according to a trade association, farmers are compensating by finding new markets and selling to biofuel makers.

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Soybeans are loaded into a truck so they can be hauled to an elevator and sold in Dwight, Illinois. Photo: TNS
US-China relations

China buys at least 10 more cargoes of US soybeans, traders say

These are the latest in a flurry of purchases ahead of President Xi Jinping’s expected US visit in September.

China-Latin America relations

Cuban spy-base allegations, new Trump tariffs: 7 Latin America relations reads

From global soybean market updates to China’s best trade partners, here are highlights from the SCMP’s foreign correspondents in July 2026.

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US-China relations

Chinese buyers acquire US soybeans for October-November, traders say

The ‌sales volume of at least 840,000 tonnes was among China’s largest single-day purchases this month.

Farmer Susan Watkins holds soybean seeds on her farm in Sutherland, Virginia, in April. Photo: Reuters
China-Latin America relations

Brazil turns to China trade deal after Trump tariffs, as years of resistance end

Xi and Lula agree to fast track Mercosur trade talks, endorsing a deal Brasilia fought to bury when Uruguay first proposed it.

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China-Latin America relations

China vows to defend Brazil’s sovereignty as Trump’s 25% tariff bites

Wang Yi tells Brazilian foreign minister Beijing backs Brazil’s sovereignty, and asks for support on ‘China’s own core interests’ in return.

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China-Latin America relations

Brazil widens lead over US in China’s soybean market despite Trump-Xi deal

China’s Brazilian soybean imports up 13.7 per cent in June compared to a year earlier; US figures fell 20.6 per cent over the same period.

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Imported soybeans from Brazil are seen in a cargo vessel at a port in Yantai, China. China’s Brazilian soybean imports are up by 13.7 per cent in June compared to a year earlier. Photo: AFP
US-China trade war

Is China’s biggest daily US soybean order confirmation of Xi-Trump summit pact?

The 472,000 tonnes sold were the most in a single day since November and a ‘positive signal’ of Beijing’s intentions, analysts said.

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Chinese buyers committed to 200,000 tonnes of new-crop soybeans from the US, according to USDA data to the end of June. Photo: AP
US-China trade war

US farm chief says reliance on China threatens American ‘freedom’

Agriculture secretary’s warning comes as tariffs weigh on China trade and Hormuz disruptions drive up fuel and fertiliser costs.

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2026 Xi-Trump summits

‘We want teeth in it’: US farmers wary of Xi-Trump pledge without signed deal

American growers welcome China’s renewed buying commitments, but vague terms and tariff concerns cloud optimism.

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China food security

How China and Kazakhstan plan to boost food security through trade

The agreement highlights Beijing’s push to rewire agricultural supply chains, as it seeks to reduce vulnerability in global markets.

Kazakh Agriculture Vice-Minister Yermek Kenzhekhanuly and Liu Huanxin, head of China’s National Food and Strategic Reserves Administration, agree to launch a joint grain-trading platform to bolster food security. Photo: gov.kz
2026 Xi-Trump summits

China to purchase at least US$17 billion of US agricultural goods, White House says

The agreement was struck at the recent summit between US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping, according to US fact sheet.

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US President Donald Trump listening to a speech by Chinese President Xi Jinping at a state banquet at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China, last week. Photo: Reuters
2026 Xi-Trump summits

China, US agree to establish trade, investment councils after Xi-Trump summit

The world’s two biggest economies also agree to roll back tariffs, deepen investment and establish a new board to manage disputes.

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2026 Xi-Trump summits

Bought the farm? Details still fuzzy on scope of US-China agriculture deal

China granted five-year export licenses to 77 US beef facilities, while renewing expired licenses of 425 other plants for another five years.

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China economy

Outside In | Prepare for ‘China shock 3.0’ to the global food economy

Imagine China applying the same industry policy playbook for electric cars, solar panels and AI to agriculture and food self-sufficiency.

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A worker checks rice seedlings on vertical racks at an intelligent rice seedling factory on April 2 in Changsha, Hunan province. Photo: China News Service via Getty Images
US-China trade war

US-China trade talks: what to expect as senior officials meet in Paris

Both sides have short-term incentives to maintain their ‘trade truce’ so they can focus on dealing with domestic issues, analysts say.

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US-China trade war

Trump’s tariff wars reshaped US-China trade – at what cost to American firms?

US exporters lost tens of billions of US dollars in sales to China in 2025, economist says.

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China food security

Explaining China’s 2026 rural blueprint

SCMP Plus annotates the No 1 document released by the Communist Party’s Central Committee and State Council setting out key rural policies for the year.

Explaining China’s 2026 rural blueprint
US-China relations

As Bessent tips next US-China trade talks, analysts see Trump-Xi meeting prep

Treasury Secretary Bessent confirms preparations for high-level dialogue, with analysts expecting a focus on specific transactional wins over a relationship reset.

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US Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent speaks in the Oval Office of the White House in December. Photo: Getty Images
China consumption

China failed to hit 2025 soybean meal dependence target. US deal makes it harder

Beijing sees soybeans as the agricultural industry’s biggest vulnerability, while plans to cut their use in animal feed have little success.

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China food security

China signals strong soybean imports – what does it mean for food security?

Beijing also vows broader agricultural opening while safeguarding domestic production and farmers.

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US-China trade war

Trump sells tariffs as farmers’ win in Iowa, but many aren’t buying it

As US president courts rural voters before midterms, growers fear Beijing may retaliate against Trump policies by curbing purchases again.

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Arkansas soybean farmer Randall Shelby says renewed US-China tensions risk pushing already struggling growers deeper into the red. Photo: Randall Shelby
US-China relations

Bessent cites trade progress after meeting China’s He Lifeng in Davos

US Treasury chief says rare earths are flowing and China is buying soybeans as talks move towards an April Trump-Xi meeting.

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US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent attends the 56th annual World Economic Forum meeting in Davos, Switzerland, on Tuesday. Photo: Reuters
US-China relations

China buys two-thirds of pledged US soybeans as 2025 closes

Beijing has moved to reduce tariffs on the crop and lifted import bans on three US exporters after talks between Xi and Trump.

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China food security

What does future hold for Brazil, US in China’s soybean balancing act?

The two countries remain top suppliers, but efforts to promote self-sufficiency are set to reduce reliance on imports.

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