China renewed import licenses for hundreds of US beef plants, reviving trade flows as Donald Trump and Xi Jinping meet in Beijing in an effort to stabilize commercial and geopolitical relations.
According to Bloomberg, the permits were renewed on Thursday and are typically valid for five years. Last year, China allowed authorizations for hundreds of US meat plants to expire amid the tariff war promoted by Trump, triggering a sharp drop in US beef shipments to China.
US exports of beef and related products to China fell around 67% between 2024 and 2025, while total US beef exports declined 12% last year, according to USDA data.
The license renewals are being interpreted as an early positive signal from the bilateral summit and could also pave the way for renewed Chinese purchases of other US agricultural products such as corn and soybeans.
The context coincides with a more restrictive Chinese market for beef imports through the implementation of import quotas for the main suppliers.
In this context, the US has so far used only a limited portion of its available quota allocations, meaning the renewed permits could allow it to increase its participation in the world’s largest imported beef market.
Source: Bloomberg
