China on Tuesday suspended soybean import qualifications from three U.S. exporters and halted imports of U.S. lumber, intensifying its retaliatory measures amid escalating trade tensions.
According to a statement from China's customs department, the affected companies are CHS Inc., Louis Dreyfus Company Grains Merchandising LLC, and EGT.
Customs officials reported that the suspension of soybean imports followed the detection of ergot and a seed coating agent in shipments, while the halt on lumber imports was due to the discovery of small worms, aspergillus, and other pests. These measures come just hours after China imposed import levies on $21 billion worth of American agricultural and food products.
The actions are viewed as a response to the extra 10% duty on U.S. products—threatened by President Donald Trump last week and implemented on March 4—which has resulted in a cumulative 20% tariff. The White House has attributed these tariffs to what it considers Chinese inaction over drug flows, further fueling the ongoing trade dispute between the two nations.
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