Trump vows to enforce $50bn China farm deal if re-elected

In Smithton, Pennsylvania, former President Donald Trump announced on Monday that his first action in the Oval Office would be to call Xi Jinping, urging the Chinese leader to honour a $50 billion agriculture deal. “My first call will be to President Xi. I’ll tell him, ‘You must honour the deal you made,’” Trump stated during a roundtable with farmers at a campaign event in Pennsylvania. “We agreed you’d buy $50 billion worth of American farm products, and I guarantee he will purchase it, 100%,” he added.

During his first term, Trump negotiated a deal with China, which included an agreement for Xi to purchase $50 billion in American agricultural goods. Now, Trump claims China is not fulfilling this commitment.

Trump also criticised the Harris-Biden administration’s handling of relations with China and stated he would demand Xi crack down on fentanyl trafficking from China across the US-Mexico border. “The second thing I’ll do is tell him, ‘You have to give the death penalty to your fentanyl dealers,’” Trump said.

Trump claims he made a $50 billion deal for China to buy farm products.
China never bought the products over the two years when Trump was president. Trump exaggerated the impact of the deal for farmers.

Fact check: https://t.co/hSHWE5ubpY pic.twitter.com/ogR0MCHvDy

— Sarah Reese Jones (@PoliticusSarah) September 23, 2024

The roundtable aimed to persuade Pennsylvania’s swing state voters that Trump would better support farmers than Vice President Kamala Harris. Both 2024 candidates are heavily campaigning in The Keystone State, which is crucial for securing the 270 electoral votes needed to win the presidency.

Trump also endorsed Republican Senate candidate David McCormick, who is contesting Senator Bob Casey (D-Pa.) in the upcoming election. “McCormick will help me make the farmers rich again,” Trump declared.

Trump promised to combat China’s acquisition of American farmland, highlighted his policy to eliminate the estate tax, and vowed to protect fracking. He also threatened a 200% tariff on John Deere if the company moved its manufacturing to Mexico. “I’m notifying John Deere now, if you do that, we’re imposing a 200% tariff on everything you sell into the United States,” Trump warned, arguing that the move would harm farmers.

💯🇺🇲We Will Make The Farmers RICH AGAIN🇺🇲. FIRST THING TRUMP WILL DO IS TELL CHINA TO START BUYING – CHINA IS NOT BUYING LIKE THEY ARE SUPPOSED TO UNDER THE AGREEMENT! #FarmersForTrump 👩‍🌾👨‍🌾🚜

💯TRUMP AMERICA FIRST 🇺🇲 pic.twitter.com/EyNHJdC6yB

— 5DME81 (@5dme81) September 23, 2024

Participants at the roundtable largely supported Trump’s focus on China. Darrell Becker, president of the Fayette County Farm Bureau, stated the US cannot afford to “ignore China” as they are “our biggest threat in the entire world and want to replace us.” Eric Davanzo, representative of Pennsylvania’s 58th district, agreed China should be a priority. “Absolutely, it should be his first phone call,” Davanzo said, suggesting the US address the issue before it escalates.