China agrees to buy at least $17 billion in US farm goods after Trump-Xi talks – Firstpost

China will purchase at least $17 billion worth of American agricultural products every year between 2026 and 2028, the White House said on Sunday, unveiling one of the biggest trade outcomes from last week’s meeting between US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing.

The commitment forms part of a broader effort by the US and China to ease trade tensions that had sharply disrupted agricultural commerce after successive rounds of retaliatory tariffs over the past year.

According to a White House fact sheet, the fresh purchase commitment is separate from the soybean agreement reached during the Trump-Xi summit in Busan, South Korea, in October 2025. Under that arrangement, China had agreed to import 25 million metric tonnes of US soybeans annually through 2028 as both countries paused further tariff escalation.

The latest assurance is expected to offer relief to American farmers, who have seen exports to China collapse amid the prolonged trade conflict. Data from the US Department of Agriculture showed US agricultural exports to China dropped 65.7 per cent in 2025 to $8.4 billion from a year earlier.

China has also steadily cut its dependence on American farm imports over the years. In 2024, the United States accounted for around 20 per cent of China’s soybean imports, sharply lower than the 41 per cent share recorded in 2016 before trade frictions intensified during Trump’s first term.

China restores access for US beef and poultry

The White House said Beijing has renewed registrations for more than 400
American beef processing facilities whose approvals had expired and added fresh listings for additional plants.

China is also working with US regulators to lift restrictions on remaining suspended beef facilities, while resuming poultry imports from US states declared free of avian influenza by American authorities.

The steps are seen as an attempt to widen market access for US agricultural producers, one of the sectors most affected by the tariff war between the two countries.

New trade and investment mechanisms planned

Washington and Beijing have also agreed to establish a US-China Board of Trade and a US-China Board of Investment to handle discussions related to trade and investment in non-sensitive sectors.

The White House said the new forums would provide a formal government-to-government mechanism to address market access concerns and investment-related issues.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi had earlier said the frameworks would support trade expansion under a reciprocal tariff reduction arrangement.

China’s commerce ministry said on Saturday that both sides had reached a preliminary understanding on reducing some tariffs and promoting bilateral trade, including in agriculture and aviation, although Beijing did not confirm all the details later released by Washington.

Boeing order, rare earth curbs discussed

The White House also said China agreed to an
initial order of 200 aircraft from Boeing.

In addition, Beijing will discuss easing restrictions related to rare earth production and processing technologies, though the White House did not provide further details.

Rare earth supplies have become increasingly important for the United States because of China’s dominant position in the sector and the critical role of the minerals in defence systems, electronics and clean energy technologies.

Iran and Strait of Hormuz also figured in talks

Beyond trade, both countries discussed geopolitical issues including Iran and maritime security in West Asia.

According to the White House, Washington and Beijing agreed that Iran should not acquire nuclear weapons and that the Strait of Hormuz shipping route must remain open without interference or transit charges imposed by any country or group.

Trump had told reporters after the visit that tariffs were not directly discussed during his meetings with Xi. However, China’s commerce ministry later indicated that tariff reductions formed part of the broader negotiations between the two sides.

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent had earlier said Trump and Xi are expected to meet multiple times this year. Xi is scheduled to visit the White House in September for the next round of talks.