WICHITA, Kan. (KWCH) – Sen. Jerry Moran is back in Kansas after traveling to China as part of a bipartisan delegation with three other senators, a trip that comes ahead of President Trump’s planned visit to Beijing late next week for a summit with China’s president.
Moran said the talks included tariffs and trade negotiations, including discussion of a potential purchase of up to 500 Boeing 737 Max planes. But the Kansas Republican said one of his main priorities was pushing China to follow through on its soybean purchase agreement.
“Farmers in Kansas are in as a difficult position as they’ve ever been during my time as a public official,” Moran said.
Moran said China has traditionally been a major market for Kansas soybeans and grain sorghum, but those markets have suffered heavy losses since tariffs imposed by Trump. Moran said he hopes next week’s summit produces results, particularly in enforcing a November agreement for China to buy at least 25 million tons of soybeans through 2028.
“One of the challenges we face is that China made the decision to move, its purchases to Brazil and have invested in infrastructure in Brazil,” Moran said. “The question is, in agriculture, once you lose a customer, how do you win that customer back?”.
Moran also addressed the war in Iran and gas prices, saying there are indications China is encouraging Iran to reach an agreement on reopening the Strait of Hormuz. Moran said China is Iran’s largest purchaser of oil.
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