China restores US beef trade amid Trump-Xi summit, alarming Brazilian exporters
China has lifted restrictions that had curtailed imports of U.S. beef. The decision, announced on the second day of the Trump-Xi summit, has triggered concern among Brazilian exporters who have dominated the market for the past three years.
China's General Administration of Customs said certificates for frozen U.S. beef imports are valid again. Beijing had effectively shut U.S. beef out of the market in 2023 when registration for a number of suppliers lapsed. The move, announced on the sidelines of the Trump-Xi summit, is being read as a thaw.
The United States calls China the world's second-largest beef market. Cattle futures opened higher on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange, and major processors such as JBS USA and Tyson Foods gained on the news. Brazilian exporters, by contrast, fear they will lose market share.
Brazil's beef industry association has asked the government to push for new trade talks. Argentina and Uruguay also want to revisit existing agreements with Beijing. China's domestic beef demand is growing 4-5% per year, and any rotation of suppliers directly reshapes Latin American food trade.
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