China Renews Licenses for Hundreds of U.S. Beef Exporters Amid Trump-Xi Meeting

China renewed export licenses for hundreds of U.S. beef processing plants, including facilities owned by Tyson Foods and Cargill, customs data showed, as President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping met in Beijing on May 14, 2026. More than 400 U.S. beef plants had lost eligibility to ship to China over the past year after approvals granted between March 2020 and April 2021 expired, according to Chinese customs data. The lapsed registrations represented about 65% of previously registered U.S. facilities. U.S. beef exports to China fell sharply after most plant registrations expired on March 16. Export volume dropped 48% from 2024, while export value plunged 69%, according to a U.S. Meat Export Federation report based on USDA data. U.S. beef exports to China peaked at $1.7 billion in 2022.