Recently, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Raimondo once again made a tough statement, saying that he would continue to contain China in the field of cutting-edge semiconductors, and warned many semiconductor giants in the United States not to provide products or technologies to China through curves. In his speech, he made it clear that China is not a friend of the United States. This unexpected statement has sparked widespread attention and speculation.
The timing of Raimondo's statement this time is really thought-provoking. According to reports, on the 7th of last month, the China Grain Reserve Management Group purchased 600,000 tons of soybeans from the United States. This number may not have been interesting four years ago, but it has special significance in the current context. The U.S. ** pointed out in the report that this has given a glimmer of hope to U.S. agricultural exports. In the past, China was the largest importer of agricultural products such as soybeans and corn in the United States, but as the United States suppressed China in the field of chips, China has also taken countermeasures in agricultural products and other fields. Since 2019, China has massively reduced imports of U.S. soybeans, corn, beef, and other agricultural products from Brazil, which is also a BRICS country. In the international agricultural export market, the United States and Brazil have a serious problem of homogeneous competition. In terms of U.S. influence, Brazil has often had a disadvantage in past competitions, however, this has changed since 2019.
China, the world's largest soybean market and major buyer, began to turn to Brazil, which led to widespread bankruptcies of American farmers and "worst in 30 years" for U.S. exports of soybeans, corn and other agricultural products. It is worth noting that it was in the last month, with the détente between China and the United States in the field, that the United States became more moderate in its attitude. In fact, not just in the field of agricultural products, in many ways, the United States needs China. Whether it's the U.S. debt problem, the manufacturing problem, or even the chip field that Raimondo flaunts about sanctions against China. The U.S.-funded semiconductor giants such as Nvidia and Qualcomm, which were warned by Raimondo this time, actually need the Chinese market very much. They have repeatedly advised Biden that sanctions will only accelerate the pace of China's technological breakthroughs, and cooperation can achieve mutual benefit and win-win results for both sides.
In short, according to the normal ** rules, the soybeans ordered in November will also not be shipped from the US until December at the earliest, so we have enough time to cancel the order. Raimondo, what do you think?
Looking back at the development of Sino-US relations, we can see its complex evolutionary process. Over the past few decades, there has been good momentum between the two countries, with China becoming a major import market for U.S. agricultural products. However, over time, the relationship between the two countries has undergone a profound transformation.
The first is the rising issue of technology and intellectual property. China's rapid development and friction with the United States have created divisions between the two countries over technology and intellectual property. The United States has expressed concern about China's technological rise, arguing that China has surpassed the United States in some areas and poses a threat. As a result, the U.S. has taken a series of measures to restrict the development of Chinese companies in sensitive areas and try to maintain its competitive advantage by suppressing Chinese technology companies.
The second is the aggravation of the deficit problem. China's long-standing surplus has been a sensitive issue in Sino-US relations. The United States believes that there are unfairness in China's ** policy, which has led to a bilateral ** imbalance. In order to reduce the deficit, the United States has taken a series of protective measures, such as imposing tariffs on Chinese goods, and China has also taken countermeasures, which has escalated the friction between the two sides.
Finally, there is the geopolitical wrestling. The rivalry between the two major powers on the global stage is intensifying, especially in some sensitive regions. China's rise is seen as a challenge to America's traditional hegemony, and the United States seeks to maintain its position by counterbalancing China's influence. Therefore, the game of interests and geopolitics between the two countries in some regions is becoming more and more obvious, which has brought greater uncertainty to the relationship between the two countries.
In short, the complex evolution of the U.S.-China relationship has brought common challenges and opportunities to both countries. While there is still uncertainty and friction in the current situation, both sides recognize that cooperation is the key to solving problems. China and the United States need to resolve existing problems through dialogue and cooperation, and build a stable, mutually beneficial and win-win relationship.
In recent years, with the continuous escalation of Sino-US friction, the chain of China's agricultural product market has undergone tremendous changes. China is gradually turning its attention to other major agricultural exporters, such as Brazil.
In the international agricultural export market, the United States and Brazil are two fiercely competitive rivals. But in past competitions, Brazil has tended to be at a disadvantage due to the greater influence of the United States. However, since 2019, China has gradually reduced the amount of agricultural products such as soybeans, corn, and beef imported from the United States in favor of Brazil. This change has had a severe impact on U.S. agricultural exports.
As the world's largest soybean importer, China's sourcing behavior has a significant impact on the global soybean market. China's shift to Brazil has made Brazil the main source of soybeans in China. At the same time, it also brings great opportunities to Brazilian farmers and promotes the development of Brazilian agriculture. At the same time, U.S. farmers are facing the crisis of large-scale bankruptcy, and the export of U.S. soybeans, corn and other agricultural products has encountered serious difficulties, which has put the U.S. agricultural industry under tremendous pressure.
However, to achieve sustainable agricultural products** and stable markets, a shift to one country alone will not solve the problem. China needs to maintain diversification and balance in the agricultural import market, and at the same time actively promote the development of agriculture and improve its own agricultural product capacity.
Behind the dispute between China and the United States over agricultural products is actually a game of interests and a contest of power between the two major powers. The U.S. is trying to force China into compliance by restricting China's agricultural products in order to achieve its goal of resolving the deficit and technological rise. However, China is no longer as easy to back down as it was in the past, and has taken resolute countermeasures.
China's pivot in the agricultural market is not only a response to the United States, but also to safeguard its own interests and the fact that China has realized the risks of over-reliance on imported agricultural products and has put forward the goal of strengthening agricultural self-sufficiency. In addition, China is also vigorously developing agricultural technology to improve the quality and yield of agricultural products to meet the needs of the domestic market.
For the United States, the importance of the Chinese market is self-evident. China is the world's largest importer of agricultural products, and for American farmers, the losses from the shrinking Chinese market are enormous. As a result, the United States continues to exert pressure on agricultural products to try to force China to make concessions through tariffs and other means.
However, this approach does not solve the problem, but instead exacerbates the ** friction between the two countries. Both sides need to realize that cooperation is the fundamental way to solve the problem. Only through dialogue and cooperation can mutual benefit and win-win results be achieved.
First of all, we must insist on cooperation and dialogue. No country can be independent of the global market, and friction will only cause damage to all parties. Through cooperation and dialogue, solutions to problems can be found and mutually beneficial results can be achieved.
Second, it is necessary to maintain a diversity of partners and markets, and avoid over-dependence on one country or region. The friction between China and the United States has brought a warning to China's agricultural market, and China should strengthen the self-sufficiency of agricultural products, while actively exploring the agricultural product markets of other countries and maintaining diversified relations.
Third, we must pay attention to scientific and technological innovation and independent research and development. China's development in the agricultural sector is inseparable from the support of science and technology. Strengthening the research and development and innovation of agricultural technology and improving the quality and yield of agricultural products is an important way to achieve sustainable agricultural development.
Finally, it is necessary to face up to and solve existing problems. The U.S.-China friction reveals structural problems and competitive pressures between the two countries. The two sides need to analyze and solve these problems in depth in order to achieve a long-term and stable relationship and promote the common development of both sides.
In short, the direction of China-US relations is a dynamic process, full of variables and challenges. The two sides should remain calm and rational, resolve differences through dialogue and cooperation, and bring China-US relations back to a stable and sustainable track. Only by working together can we achieve mutual benefit and win-win results for both countries.