Thursday, December 06, 2018

Insiders say China preparing to buy U.S. soybeans again

"In a potentially encouraging sign" for U.S. soybean growers, "China appears to be making early efforts to make good on elements that the White House said were part of the short-term trade bargain Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping reached in Buenos Aires," Ryan McCrimmon reports for Politico.

It's unclear whether or when China will drop its retaliatory tariffs on soybeans, but "Chinese officials have been told to take necessary steps for the purchases, according to two officials with knowledge of the discussions," Bloomberg reports. "It is possible that Beijing could reimburse buyers for the tariffs they pay, as they have done for purchases for the state soybean reserve."

Another positive sign: China announced new punishments for intellectual-property theft, Bloomberg reports. President Trump cited concern over IP theft as one of the main reasons he imposed tariffs.

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