China buys first shipment of wheat from US since 2024

VTV.vn - Traders said on November 6 that China had ordered two shipments of US wheat following last week's meeting between the two countries' leaders.

Illustrative photo. (Photo: ANI/VNA)

These are China's first purchases of US wheat since October 2024, signaling that trade tensions between the two countries are easing.

The two shipments, totaling about 120,000 tonnes, include US soft white wheat and spring wheat, and are expected to be delivered in December 2025, sources said.

A grain trader in Singapore with direct knowledge of the transactions said the move was politically significant, saying it was China's way of showing its commitment to buying US grain because US wheat is not the cheapest on the market right now.

Investors welcomed the meeting between US President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping on October 30 on the sidelines of the Asia- Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in South Korea, easing concerns about a trade dispute between the world’s two largest economies that has disrupted the flow of goods, including key agricultural products.

Following the meeting between the two leaders, on November 5, the Chinese government announced that it would cancel tariffs announced on March 4 on some US agricultural products from November 10. This move included removing a 15% tariff on US wheat.

In another positive sign on the trade front, Mark Wilson, president of the U.S. Grains and Bioproducts Council, said a shipment of sorghum was sent from the U.S. to China after the meeting between the two leaders. In 2024, the U.S. shipped 5.7 million tons of sorghum to China, accounting for 66% of China’s imports of the commodity.

China, the top market for US agricultural products, has turned its huge demand for agricultural products into a powerful bargaining chip in the trade war. After several rounds of retaliatory tariffs, Chinese importers have largely abandoned US agricultural products, including wheat and soybeans, in favor of other sources.

China imported 1.9 million tonnes of US wheat in 2024, accounting for 17% of its total imports. However, China has reduced its total wheat imports this year following bumper harvests. Wheat imports in January-September 2025 were down 72% from the same period last year.

Source: https://vtv.vn/trung-quoc-mua-lo-hang-lua-mi-dau-tien-tu-my-ke-tu-nam-2024-100251106204213605.htm