WASHINGTON: U.S. President Donald Trump has warned that Washington could sever trade ties with China over “edible oils and other goods” after Beijing suspended imports of American soybeans, a move that has deepened the financial strain on U.S. farmers.
The escalation comes just weeks before Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping are due to meet on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit.
Writing on Truth Social, Trump accused China of “a hostile economic act” against U.S. farmers, saying, “We can easily produce edible oils ourselves and have no need to buy them from China.” Once the largest buyer of U.S. soybeans,
China diversified its imports toward Brazil after the previous trade dispute during Trump’s first term. Beijing has since imposed a 34% retaliatory tariff on U.S. agricultural goods, effectively halting new purchase contracts even as America’s harvest season begins.
Washington Signals Tougher Posture Ahead of APEC
Speaking alongside Argentine President Javier Milei at the White House, Trump said he maintains “a good relationship” with Xi but warned, “China likes to exploit people, but they will not be able to exploit us.” He added that while he hopes relations will improve, “if they do not, that is also acceptable.”
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent also condemned China’s export controls on rare earths and minerals in a Financial Times interview, calling them “an attempt to drag the world economy down.”
Meanwhile, U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer told CNBC that “China has escalated the situation,” stressing that Washington “cannot allow China to hold veto power over the global tech supply chain.”
Greer noted that dialogue channels remain open and hinted that Trump’s proposed 100% tariffs — slated for November 1 — “could take effect even sooner.”
As the world’s two largest economies prepare for another diplomatic test at the APEC summit, both sides appear locked between confrontation and cautious engagement.
