Washington, September 24, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Two Republican lawmakers have urged US President Donald Trump to press Chinese President Xi Jinping for more reliable access to China’s soybean and beef markets when the two leaders meet this week, citing concerns over the implementation of previous trade commitments.
Senator Pete Ricketts of Nebraska wrote to US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer ahead of the talks, calling on the administration to secure greater market access for American agricultural products and ensure China fulfils its existing purchase commitments.
Representative Zach Nunn of Iowa made a similar appeal, saying any new trade arrangement should deliver enforceable outcomes for US farmers and workers rather than commitments that may prove difficult to enforce.
“President Trump has leverage going into this meeting, and he should use it to demand real results for Iowa farmers and American workers,” Nunn said.
Soybeans are a key focus for both lawmakers because of their importance to US agricultural exports to China. Ricketts’ office said China had agreed in October 2025 to purchase 25 million metric tonnes of US soybeans annually. Nunn said he had also urged the administration earlier this year to secure a Chinese commitment to reopen its market to American soybeans.
The lawmakers are now seeking assurances that the purchases will continue. Ricketts said China had not met commitments made under an earlier Phase One trade agreement and asked Greer to monitor Chinese purchases and push for continued compliance.
“While American producers have spent decades building markets in Communist China, they continue to face unfair trading practices and uncertainty from Beijing,” Ricketts wrote.
Beef market access is another major concern raised by Ricketts. He said a May 2026 agreement helped restore access for some US processing facilities after China renewed licences that had been allowed to expire, but several facilities remained suspended.
Ricketts also raised concerns over what he described as an unpublished Chinese limit on residues from certain hormones in beef. He said US exporters lacked clarity on how the limit was tested and consistently enforced, making it difficult for producers in Nebraska to plan their sales. The material did not include a response from the Chinese government to these concerns.
Ricketts urged Greer to use the bilateral discussions to seek clearer regulations and broader access for US beef. He said Nebraska exported nearly $8 billion worth of agricultural products last year and is the leading US state for beef and veal exports.
Nunn said any trade agreement should expand access for US products in China while preventing Beijing from gaining greater influence over American farmers, manufacturers or national security.
“Beijing has a long record of making promises and failing to deliver on them,” Nunn said. “But it’s clear we can’t take Beijing at its word.”
The agricultural concerns are part of a wider set of issues US lawmakers want Trump to raise with Xi, including tighter controls on exports of advanced artificial intelligence chips, discussions on AI safety and broader security concerns.
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