On August 11, 2025, in the context of ongoing trade negotiations between the United States and China, US President Donald Trump publicly urged China to significantly increase its imports of US soybeans, proposing a quadrupling of purchases. This call was made as part of efforts to reduce China's trade surplus with the United States.

The demand was reported by Financial Times and covered by multiple news outlets including Dagens Industri and The Business Times. Trump emphasized that increasing soybean imports would help address the trade imbalance and support American farmers, who have been adversely affected by high Chinese tariffs.

The trade talks have been ongoing since May 2025, following a 90-day truce on tariffs. Both countries had paused imposing new tariffs, with the US halting tariffs on Chinese goods at 145 percent and China reciprocating. However, the deadline for these tariff pauses was approaching, raising concerns about a potential reintroduction of tariffs described by the US Treasury Secretary as an "embargo."

Trump's proposal to quadruple soybean imports from China is seen as a strategic move to pressure China into making concessions before the tariff deadline. The soybean sector is a significant part of US agricultural exports, and China is one of its largest markets.

The negotiations are taking place amid heightened political and economic tensions, with the US aiming to reduce its trade deficit with China and protect domestic industries. Trump's statements on August 11, 2025, highlight the critical role of agricultural trade in the broader US-China trade relationship.

Sources: Financial Times, Dagens Industri (published August 11, 2025), The Business Times (published August 11, 2025).