In March 2025, U.S. imports of goods from mainland China sharply decreased as the escalation of the trade war resulted in several major commodities dropping to zero.

In March 2025, China completely halted imports of liquefied natural gas and wheat from the United States, and imports of commodities like cotton and corn were significantly reduced due to the escalation of the China-US trade war, as both sides imposed high tariffs on each other. China turned to countries like Brazil for agricultural product supplies. Ford suspended the export of several car models to China due to China's imposition of tariffs as high as 150% on American cars. This situation highlights the severe impact of the China-US tariff war on bilateral trade.

Liquefied Natural Gas and Wheat Imports Fall to Zero

According to data released by China's General Administration of Customs on April 20, 2025, the volume of liquefied natural gas and wheat imported from the United States to China in March 2025 both fell to zero. In 2024, these two commodities still accounted for a significant portion of imports: U.S. wheat made up 17% of China's total imports, and liquefied natural gas accounted for 5%. This drastic change is closely related to China's imposition of retaliatory tariffs ranging from 10% to 15% on U.S. energy products starting in February, and similar tariffs on U.S. agricultural products in March.

Significant Decline in Agricultural Product Imports

In addition to wheat, imports of other U.S. agricultural products also showed a significant decline. In March 2025, China's cotton imports from the U.S. were slightly above 14,000 metric tons, a 90% drop compared to the same period last year. Corn imports fell to less than 800 metric tons, the lowest since February 2020. Reports indicate that since mid-January 2025, China has stopped booking purchases of U.S. soybeans and corn, turning to countries like Brazil for alternative supplies. Data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture shows that since January 16, China's purchase orders for U.S. soybeans and corn have been zero.

Impact on Energy and Raw Material Imports

In the energy and raw materials sector, U.S. exports to China have also suffered significant declines. In March 2025, China's imports of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) from the U.S. fell by 36% to 1.02 million metric tons. Coal imports for steelmaking plummeted by 62%, leaving only 208,000 metric tons. Nevertheless, crude oil imports rose against the trend by 25% to 542,000 metric tons, but the U.S. barely made it into the top ten suppliers of crude oil to China.

Decline in Metal Product Imports

Although China's new tariffs in March did not directly target metal products, the U.S. government indicated it was considering imposing tariffs on copper, causing U.S. copper prices to rise and affecting market circulation. As a result, China's imports of copper scrap from the U.S. were halved to slightly above 22,000 metric tons, and copper concentrate imports also fell by 38% to about 19,000 metric tons.

Automobile Exports Hindered: Ford Halts Export of Several Models

U.S. automaker Ford has halted the export of several models to China, including the F-150 Raptor, Mustang, Bronco, and Lincoln Navigator. These vehicles are primarily manufactured in Michigan and Kentucky. Ford stated that this decision was in response to China's imposition of retaliatory tariffs of up to 150% on U.S. automobiles. In 2024, Ford exported about 5,500 units of these models to China, far below the annual level of over 20,000 units in previous years.

Policy Background: Tariff War Escalates

In mid-April 2025, the tariff war between China and the U.S. further escalated. The average tariff rate on Chinese imports to the U.S. was raised to 145%, covering consumer goods, industrial products, and some high-tech products. China, in turn, imposed retaliatory tariffs of 125% on U.S. goods. China's Ministry of Commerce stated that it would "resolutely and reciprocally counteract" further tariff increases by the U.S., but also noted that the current tariff levels are "no longer economically viable."

China Turns to Other Suppliers

In terms of agricultural products, China has evidently shifted to South America and other regions for alternative supplies. Reports indicate that China recently imported at least 2.4 million tons of soybeans from Brazil, expected to be delivered from May to July. In contrast, U.S. soybeans accounted for nearly 40% of China's total imports in 2017, dropping to 20% by 2024, while the proportion of Brazilian soybeans rose from 50% to 70%.

In March 2025, U.S. imports of goods from mainland China sharply decreased as the escalation of the trade war resulted in several major commodities dropping to zero.

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