By Zhong Sheng, People’s Daily
In the vast farmlands of Iowa, United States, farmer Grant Kimberley cultivates thousands of acres of soybeans. Following autumn harvests, the soybeans undergo cleaning, sorting, and packaging before being transported to Mississippi River ports for international shipping..
After traversing the Pacific Ocean for several weeks, these cargo vessels reach Chinese ports. The soybeans are then delivered to processing plants, where they are refined into soybean oil and soybean meal.
The soybean oil enters China’s retail and food service sectors, becoming essential cooking oil for millions of households nationwide. Meanwhile, the soybean meal serves as high-quality feed for China’s livestock and poultry industries.
This transcontinental journey of Iowa soybeans exemplifies the dynamic agricultural cooperation between China and the United States. Agricultural collaboration has consistently remained one of the earliest-established, most substantive, and strategically significant areas in bilateral relations since diplomatic normalization.
As the world’s largest agricultural importer, China naturally complements the United States’ position as the top global agricultural exporter. This symbiotic relationship creates mutually beneficial outcomes, establishing both nations as inherently complementary partners in agricultural trade and development.
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), American agricultural exports to China totaled 24.5 billion, with China purchasing $12.8 billion worth of soybeans—over half of the total.
These imports not only fulfill critical demands in China’s domestic market but also stimulate growth across U.S. agricultural supply chains, elevating farm incomes and generating measurable mutual benefits.
Sino-U.S. agricultural collaboration has enriched consumer choices in both nations while bolstering rural livelihoods. In 2023, the average U.S. farmer exported approximately $9,000 in agricultural goods to China. A significant milestone occurred in January 2023, when the two nations reinstated their bilateral agricultural cooperation framework, paving the way for joint advancements in climate-resilient farming practices and sustainable food production. This partnership continues to diversify in scope and ambition.
As China transitions from a major agricultural producer to a global agricultural powerhouse, its modernization drive—engaging nearly 500 million farmers—is amplifying demand for premium agricultural products. This evolution promises expanded opportunities for Sino-U.S. agricultural trade within open, rules-based markets.
Deepening agricultural ties between China and the U.S. extend far beyond bilateral gains, serving as a cornerstone for global food security and agricultural innovation. The inherent complementarity between the world’s largest agricultural importer and exporter fosters a stable, mutually reinforcing relationship that benefits producers, consumers, and global supply chains alike.
The two nations have collaborated extensively in agricultural technology and sustainable development, spanning innovations such as precision agriculture, biotechnology,water-efficient irrigation systems, and smart farming practices. These joint efforts have injected substantial momentum into global agricultural modernization, driving the transformation of food production systems worldwide and bolstering initiatives to combat hunger and poverty..
In recent years, however, China-U.S. agricultural cooperation has encountered mounting challenges. The U.S. government’s tariff imposition of tariffs has cast uncertainty over bilateral agricultural trade. As the Washington Post recently highlighted, Washington’s protectionist trade policies have once again positioned American farmers at the epicenter of global trade tensions.
Analyses by U.S. media estimate that tariff measures enacted between 2018 and 2019 resulted in nearly $26 billion in lost agricultural exports, with American farmers’ incomes in 2019 plummeting by approximately 8% compared to 2017 levels.
The USDA’s 2025 Agricultural Outlook projects that U.S. agricultural exports to China at $22 billion for 2025. Jim Sutter, CEO of the US Soybean Export Council, underscored that farmers bear the brunt of trade war repercussions—a sentiment echoing across American agricultural communities.
Trade wars produce no victors. Unilateralism and protectionism not only contravene market principles but also erode the bedrock of China-U.S agricultural cooperation. Agriculture, as a cornerstone of societal well-being, must remain insulated from politicization or unwarranted securitization.
China remains committed to openness and inclusiveness, steadfastly advancing high-level opening up. It is imperative for the United States collaborate with China in resolving differences through constructive dialogue, fostering a stable environment for agricultural cooperation, and safeguarding the shared interests of farmers and consumers in both nations. By aligning efforts, the two countries can spearhead sustainable agricultural development on a global scale.
(Zhong Sheng is a pen name often used by People’s Daily to express its views on foreign policy and international affairs.)
