ISLAMABAD, 14 October, 2026 (Kamran Raja): China has purchased 8 to 10 cargoes of US soybeans in its first such deals since the September summit between US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping in Washington, according to three trade sources. The cargoes, each carrying approximately 65,000 metric tons, are scheduled for shipment from December onwards. The purchases were made by state-owned Chinese trading firms amid renewed market expectations for Chinese demand following several weeks of limited buying. Traders said the companies paid premiums of $3.10 to $3.20 per bushel over the January Chicago Board of Trade soybean futures contract. The latest deals come after the two countries announced a proposed list of tariff reductions following the September summit, which excluded soybeans and dampened expectations of additional purchases by private Chinese processors. Before the latest transactions, China had purchased approximately 13.7 million metric tons of US soybeans, exceeding halfway toward the 25-million-ton target for the 2026–27 marketing year announced by the White House. Meanwhile, Chinese state grain trader Sinograin sold 40.5 percent of the 518,000 metric tons of imported soybeans offered at an auction on Tuesday, according to consultancy Mysteel. Traders expect further auctions in the coming weeks. Official Chinese customs data also showed that soybean imports reached 11.88 million metric tons in September, down 7.7 percent compared with the same month last year.