Positive signals! The U.S. Department of Agriculture has confirmed that we are indeed purchasing large volumes of American soybeans! According to a report by Lianhe Zaobao on August 4, the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced that 488,000 tons of American soybeans were sold to China, with an additional 136,150 tons sold to an unknown destination. Foreign media stated this is the largest single purchase of American soybeans by China this year. The White House said China has pledged to buy $17 billion worth of U.S. agricultural products in proportion by the end of this year.

Moreover, China also committed to purchasing at least 25 million metric tons of American soybeans annually before 2028. It's clear that media reports had previously indicated our procurement of American soybeans. Reports suggest we have finalized around 6 to 7 shipments totaling approximately 330,000 tons, scheduled for shipment from ports in the Gulf of Mexico and the U.S. West Coast between September and November. Now that the U.S. Department of Agriculture has publicly announced this, it strongly indicates that the resumption of U.S. soybean purchases is highly likely true.

This move undoubtedly sends very positive signals. The reality is clear: the issue isn't whether we should buy American soybeans, but rather that since the start of the U.S.-China trade war, soybean purchases have become a strategic lever in the broader geopolitical game between the two nations. By making this announcement prominently, the U.S. clearly aims to stabilize expectations among American soybean producers and signal domestically that the U.S. is in control—portraying China as unilaterally yielding.

However, from the perspective of U.S.-China relations, the underlying logic is mutual reciprocity. When we fulfill our commitments, it necessarily means the U.S. must also honor its promises to us—there can be no one-sided goodwill from our side alone. This action signifies that both sides are moving toward each other, further bridging their differences. On the Taiwan issue, the U.S. may well have to exercise restraint.

Original source: toutiao.com/article/1872549340443660/

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the author alone.