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Soybeans

Soybeans
The latest news, analysis and opinion on Soybeans. In-depth analysis, industry insights and expert opinion.
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 summit

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.

2026 Xi-Trump summit

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

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2026 Xi-Trump summit

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

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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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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China has committed to buying at least 25 million tonnes of US soybeans annually through 2028, according to Washington. Photo: Reuters
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-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

Explainer | 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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Soybeans are loaded into a truck in Dwight, Illinois, in August. Photo: Getty Images
Scott Bessent

Trump’s Treasury Secretary Bessent says he has divested his soybean farm

Move comes after a US ethics watchdog said that Bessent had not fully complied with his pledge to avoid potential conflicts of interest.

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent. Photo: AFP
US-China relations

Soybean pain, Xi-Trump talks, ICE death, Hasan Piker: 7 US-China relations reads

From a US influencer’s China controversy to trade war updates, here are highlights from the SCMP’s overseas correspondents in November 2025.

China food security

‘Impossible to achieve’: why China can’t grow enough soybeans to feed itself

The shift from soybean exporter to world’s top buyer has reshaped global markets and forced Beijing to confront new security risks.

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US-China relations

US soybean futures rebound on signs China is ramping up purchases

Prices in Chicago rose as much as 3.2 per cent on Monday, a 17-month high, after Trump said China is in the process of buying soybeans.

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A combine harvests soybeans in Marion, Kentucky Photo: Getty Images / AFP
US-China relations

Opinion | In ‘soybean diplomacy’ with the US, China now holds the remote control

China, no longer reliant on US soybeans, has leverage: resuming purchases to calm tensions or cutting them when relations fray.

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US-China trade war

China signals soybean demand to spark ‘many deals’ with US – if prices are right

American farmers optimistic on visit to Shanghai, while commerce ministry official says market principles to guide Chinese purchases.

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China trade

Brazil-China trade heats up amid investment surge, export opportunities

Brazilian firms eye China expansion as Chinese investments are rapidly growing in the South American nation.

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Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva appears at last month’s opening of a BYD vehicle assembly line in Brazil. Photo: handout
China-Latin America relations

Brazil shrugs off US-China soybean deal as seasonal trade

Farmers say Beijing’s renewed US buys won’t upend Brazil’s exports, but tight credit and dry weather cloud outlook.

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Brazil sends roughly three-quarters of its soybean exports to China, worth nearly US$44 billion last year. Photo: AP
US-China trade war

China’s US soybean buys bring relief to farmers, but permanent deal elusive

While the Xi-Trump talks helped to end the soybean standstill, analysts said agriculture will remain one of many points of contention.

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US-China trade war

‘Positive step’: cautious relief as China resumes US soybean purchases

Farmers call the development ‘encouraging,’ but hope for lasting truce ahead of Xi-Trump talks.

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SCMP Highlights

US soybean farmers’ plea; death of leading AI scientist: SCMP daily highlights

From US farmers urging Trump to tone down rhetoric to Beijing denouncing UK’s sanctions on 11 companies, here’s a round-up from today’s coverage.

A combine harvester brings in soybeans on October 14 in Marion, Kentucky. Photo: Getty Images via AFP
US-China trade war

‘Partnership, not pressure’, US soybean farmers urge Trump before Xi talks

US farmers say Trump administration must tone down name-calling and aggressive tactics if they are to secure a lasting soy deal with China.

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A crop scout collects soybean samples on a Midwest farm. File photo: Reuters
My Take

My Take | A moral case for China to stop buying American soybeans permanently

Apart from persistently high state subsidies, labour exploitation, human trafficking and crime cartels also plague US agriculture and are reasons enough for Beijing to sanction the industry.

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United States

Trump and Modi’s tariff tango: Russian oil, soybeans and a delayed deal

India and the US near a breakthrough on slashing Trump-era duties, but elections and egos could impede the long-awaited trade pact.

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