China Approves Resumption of US Meat Imports After 15 Months

April 14, Kathmandu – During US President Donald Trump’s visit to China, Beijing has approved the resumption of US meat imports after a 15-month hiatus. China has reinstated export licenses for hundreds of American meat processing companies. This decision came ahead of the meeting between Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping. In 2020, China granted meat export permits to more than 300 US companies, but these approvals were not renewed in March 2025. The move was widely perceived as a response to tariffs imposed during the Trump administration.

Reports indicate that the new licenses have been issued for varying durations until 2029. However, this does not guarantee a significant volume of purchases, as China implements a quota system for imports. For this year, the meat import quota for the US is set at 164,000 metric tons, while Brazil’s quota has been designated at 1.1 million metric tons.

A White House official told Reuters that discussions between Xi and Trump included expanding market access for US businesses in China, increasing Chinese investment in the US, and boosting purchases of American agricultural products. According to the South China Morning Post, before departing for China, Trump stated on social media that he intended to urge Xi to open China further. Addressing a group of top US trade officials accompanying him, he said, ‘These talented people will show their magic and elevate China to an even higher level.’