Trump threatens to halt cooking oil imports from China amid renewed trade tensions
US President Donald Trump has issued a warning to China, threatening to halt imports of cooking oil and other goods in response to Beijing’s recent suspension of American soybean purchases—an action he described as an “economically hostile act.”
“We are considering terminating business with China having to do with cooking oil and other elements of trade, as retribution,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform on Tuesday, October 14.
The warning came just hours after the president struck a more conciliatory tone in remarks to reporters at the White House, stating, “We have a fair relationship with China, and I think it’ll be fine. And if it’s not, that’s okay too.”
The contradictory statements highlight escalating trade tensions between the world’s two largest economies during Trump’s second term, as tariff levels once again rise sharply on key imports.
In a separate interview with the Financial Times on Monday, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent accused Beijing of attempting to destabilize global markets following China’s sweeping export controls on rare earth materials—essential for high-tech manufacturing and defense.
Trump urged caution in dealing with China, referencing his complicated relationship with Chinese President Xi Jinping. “I have a great relationship with President Xi, but sometimes it gets testy because China likes to take advantage of people,” he said. “When punches are thrown, you’ve got to put up the blocks.”
The president also acknowledged the impact of China’s soybean suspension on American farmers, a key political constituency. U.S. exports of animal fats, greases, and processed oils—including used cooking oil—have grown rapidly in recent years, driven by demand from the domestic biofuels industry.
Despite occasional diplomatic overtures, the fragile trade truce between Washington and Beijing appears increasingly at risk.
Following China’s rare earth export restrictions, Trump announced plans to impose a 100 per cent tariff on all Chinese goods starting November 1—a move that U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said could be accelerated depending on China’s response.
“Much depends on what the Chinese do,” Greer said in an interview with CNBC, accusing Beijing of triggering “a major escalation.”
China, the world’s largest producer of rare earth elements, supplies critical materials for electronics, electric vehicles, and defense systems.
Bessent described China’s latest trade moves as evidence of “a weak economy trying to pull everyone else down with them.”
Tensions have also spilled over into diplomacy. Last week, Trump suggested he might cancel a planned meeting with President Xi at the upcoming Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit, citing concerns over China’s trade practices.
Beijing responded by accusing the U.S. of “double standards” and vowed on Tuesday, October 14, to “fight to the end” if a full-scale trade war resumes.
With both sides digging in, analysts warn that renewed hostilities could have far-reaching global consequences—disrupting supply chains, driving up prices, and further straining US-China relations.
