China says 'rampant' U.S. protectionism threatens agricultural ties

U.S. protectionist policies are straining agricultural ties with China, with Beijing's ambassador warning that farmers should not be the casualties of the ongoing trade war, as exports to China plummet and tensions over land purchases rise.

U.S. protectionist policies are undermining agricultural cooperation with China, according to Beijing's ambassador to Washington, Xie Feng. He warned that farmers should not bear the brunt of the ongoing trade war between the two largest economies. In a speech published by the Chinese embassy on Saturday, Xie described the rise of protectionism as a significant barrier to China-U.S. agricultural relations.

Agriculture has become a central point of contention as the U.S. and China remain locked in a tariff battle initiated by President Donald Trump. In March, China imposed tariffs of up to 15% on $21 billion worth of U.S. agricultural and food products in retaliation for American tariffs. While a truce has been extended for 90 days to delay further duties, U.S. agricultural exports to China plummeted by 53% in the first half of the year, with soybeans seeing a 51% decline.

Xie emphasized that American and Chinese farmers are hardworking and should not have to bear the consequences of political conflicts. He argued that agriculture, being a pillar of bilateral relations, should not be hijacked by politics, as the U.S. and China each have distinct strengths—China in labor-intensive products and the U.S. in large-scale, mechanized production.

Meanwhile, U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins announced measures to curb farmland purchases by foreign adversaries, including China. The U.S. Department of Agriculture also dismissed 70 foreign contract researchers following a national security review. Xie, however, dismissed these concerns, noting that Chinese investors own less than 0.03% of U.S. agricultural land and calling the U.S. actions "political manipulation."

As trade talks drag on, U.S. soybean exporters risk missing out on billions of dollars in sales to China, with buyers in the world's top oilseed importer turning to Brazil instead.

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