[Global Times-Global Network Reporter Zhao Juejue Wang Cong] Despite the impact of the new coronary pneumonia epidemic on global trade, China is still implementing the first-stage trade agreement signed by China and the United States at the beginning of the year. Zhang Xiaoping, China ’s chief representative of the American Soybean Export Association, said in an interview with the Global Times on the 6th that Chinese companies purchased more than 1.1 million tons of US soybeans from mid-late March to mid-April. "These purchases will undoubtedly promote The implementation of the first-phase agreement will also help China ensure the safety of soybean supply. "
According to data released by the General Administration of Customs of China, in the first quarter of this year, China imported 17.792 million tons of soybeans, an increase of 6.2%. During the same period, China imported 35.56 billion yuan of agricultural products from the United States, an increase of 1.1 times, including 7.814 million tons of imported soybeans, an increase of 2.1 times, and a total value of 21.88 billion yuan, an increase of 2.1 times. Li Kuiwen, a spokesman for the General Administration of Customs, said at the first quarter trade data conference on the 14th of last month that with the gradual implementation of the first-phase economic and trade agreement between China and the United States, some positive factors have emerged in bilateral trade, especially in recent Imported goods have shown good growth momentum.
China and the United States signed the first-stage trade agreement on January 15 this year. As part of the agreement, China will increase its imports of US agricultural products. Chinese Ambassador to the United States Cui Tiankai said in an interview with Eurasian Group President Bremer in early April, "As far as I understand, despite the severe situation we have faced in the past few weeks, everyone is still working hard to implement the first phase of the agreement. I believe we can continue Implementation. "Cui Tiankai said that China is still implementing the content of the agreement. For example, it is still purchasing some agricultural products from the United States, and is removing some restrictions faced by foreign companies to enter the Chinese financial market.
Statistics from the US also prove that China is fulfilling its economic and trade agreement and continues to import US soybeans. Statistics from the US Department of Agriculture show that from April 10 to 16, China purchased 272,000 tons of US soybeans. In the week from April 17 to 23, China purchased 618,000 tons of US soybeans, the largest weekly purchase since early December last year. According to another Reuters report, on April 30, Chinese state-owned importers purchased at least 300,000 tons of US soybeans.
According to international market conditions, generally in March, China will focus on importing soybeans from South American producers such as Brazil, but Chinese companies still continue to purchase from the United States, which has also attracted a lot of speculation in the market. Zhang Xiaoping told the "Global Times" reporter that some analysts believe that this is China's national reserves, and some believe that this is to prepare for South America's future supply difficulties due to the impact of the new coronary pneumonia epidemic. "What is certain is that these procurements will undoubtedly promote the implementation of the first phase of the Sino-US agreement and will also help China ensure the safety of soybean supply."
According to Zhang Xiaoping, in recent years, China-US soybean trade has been largely affected by policies, but in March of this year, after China substantially eliminated the additional tariffs imposed on US soybean imports through tariff exclusion approvals, purchases from the US tended to become more Marketization. On February 18, China ’s State Council ’s Tariff Commission issued an announcement saying that from March 2, the Tariff Commission will accept applications for duty-free imports of US agricultural products, including soybeans, wheat, corn, and sorghum. The Tariff Tariff Commission will no longer levy China's counter-tariff on the US 301 measure within a certain period of time for qualified US agricultural products imported in accordance with the principles of marketization and commercialization.
American agricultural giant ADM recently predicted that as China fulfills its commitments under the first phase of the Sino-US trade agreement, the amount of soybeans it buys from the United States will return to pre-trade levels.