President Donald Trump on Tuesday revealed that his administration is considering ending trade ties with China over its refusal to purchase U.S. soybeans and warned of potential restrictions on cooking oil and other imports from the country as a retaliatory measure.

In a Truth Social post, Trump accused China of committing an ‘economically hostile act’ by “purposefully not buying soybeans and causing difficulty for soybean farmers.”
“We are considering terminating business with China, having to do with cooking oil and other elements of trade as retribution,” he added.

Trump said he has been considering ending trade with China involving cooking oil and other imports as potential forms of ‘retribution.’
China has long been the largest purchaser of U.S. soybeans, importing around 27 million metric tons worth nearly $12.8 billion in 2024 alone. However, due to ongoing trade tensions with the Trump administration, Beijing has not purchased any American soybeans since May.

Due to retaliatory tariffs on U.S. goods, American soybeans have become more expensive for Chinese buyers, prompting China to shift its sourcing to South American suppliers. At the same time, China’s exports of used cooking oil reached record levels in 2024, with the U.S. making up 43% of those shipments.
Trump’s announcement comes amid a series of sharp criticisms he has directed at China, casting doubt on the progress of current trade negotiations and causing significant volatility in the stock market.

Trump stated that he also plans to bring up the soybean issue with President Xi Jinping during a meeting later this month at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in South Korea. Meanwhile, the U.S. government has encouraged India to increase its imports of American soybeans, as U.S. farmers seek new markets in countries such as Vietnam and Nigeria.

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