China signals strong demand for soybean imports in 2026 rural blueprint
Beijing also vows broader agricultural opening while safeguarding domestic production and farmers
Despite a tight balance between production and demand, China would diversify import sources and make full use of international markets, said Han Wenxiu, head of the office of the Communist Party’s rural affairs leading group.
His remarks followed Tuesday’s release of Beijing’s 2026 rural blueprint, known as the “No 1 Document” and traditionally the leadership’s first policy directive of the year.
The blueprint pledged to boost soybean output by prioritising yields and better aligning domestic production with trade, marking a shift from Beijing’s years-long emphasis on expanding planting acreage to curb dependence on major overseas suppliers such as the US.