US farmers may see relief as China indicated it will resume substantial purchases of American soybeans, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said on Sunday following talks with Chinese officials in Kuala Lumpur, as reported by Bloomberg. The development comes ahead of a planned meeting between President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping.

Bessent’s comments followed two days of meetings with Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng and other officials. An initial consensus was reached on several bilateral issues, including agriculture, according to a statement from China’s Ministry of Commerce.

The renewed buying would ease pressure on US farmers, who faced financial strain after China, the country’s largest buyer, curtailed imports earlier this season. Throughout the trade dispute, soybean purchases have been a key lever for Beijing, giving it negotiating advantage in broader US-China discussions.

President Trump has repeatedly stressed that resuming soybean purchases would be central to his talks with Xi. Analysts caution, however, that immediate benefits may be limited, as Chinese crushers have already secured enough supplies to meet demand through the end of the year and into early 2026.

US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said that “China actually has not covered all its soybean needs for December and January so they still really need American product,” adding that resuming purchases will be necessary for a successful trade agreement.

Any increase in imports from the US could depress domestic soymeal prices in China, potentially squeezing margins for local processors. In the longer term, Beijing is expected to continue diversifying suppliers, deepening ties with Brazil and expanding domestic production to reduce reliance on the US for a crop critical to food security and economic stability.