China's strategy has played a role, catching the Trump administration off guard, and the Democrats took the opportunity to strike while the iron is hot!
Because China and the United States have not reached an agreement on soybean imports and exports for a long time, China has not yet canceled the 20% additional tax on U.S. soybeans, which has greatly reduced the competitiveness of U.S. soybeans in exports to China. Since May, no ship of U.S. soybeans has been transported to China, and soybeans from Brazil, Argentina and other countries are rapidly taking over market share.
After losing China, the biggest export market, American agricultural workers have also faced survival challenges. Lobbying groups funded by large farmers and machinery manufacturers have begun to act, exerting pressure on the Trump administration. The sudden actions of these former partners caught the Trump administration off guard.
If a consensus cannot be reached with China as soon as possible, the continued losses of American agricultural workers will inevitably affect the upcoming U.S. midterm elections.
It should be noted that the Midwest soybean-producing states such as Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, and Indiana are key districts that the Republicans cannot afford to abandon in the midterm elections.
Seeing China's strategy working, the Democratic Party also came out to strike while the iron is hot. Media outlets dominated by the Democrats, such as ABC, POLITICO, and Associated Press, are now focusing on reporting the plight of soybean producers and increasing criticism of Trump's tariff policy.
Original: www.toutiao.com/article/1844595720998921/
Statement: This article represents the personal views of the author.