China is retaliating to Trump's massive tariffs by aiming directly at his supporters
- China announced new tariffs on US exports of soybeans to China.
- Soybeans are the largest agricultural export from the US to China, totaling $14.2 billion in 2016.
- President Donald Trump won eight of the top 10 soybean-producing states in 2016, meaning China is taking a shot directly at his political base.
China struck back at the US with the new tariffs on $50 billion worth of American goods on Wednesday. And the move appears to have a distinct message for President Donald Trump.
In response to Trump's tariffs, the Chinese measure includes new restrictions on US exports of soybeans to China.
According to the US Department of Agriculture, the US sent China $14.2 billion worth of soybeans in 2016, making it the largest agricultural export to China. Additionally, China was the destination for 61.2% of total soybean exports from the US.
And a bulk of the US production is concentrated in the Midwest - in states that Trump carried in 2016.
According to the USDA, eight of the top 10 soybean producing states in 2017 were states that Trump won: Iowa, Nebraska, Indiana, Missouri, Ohio, South Dakota, North Dakota, and Kansas.
Trump also carried states just outside of the top 10, including North Carolina and South Carolina.
Republican lawmakers have cautioned Trump that any fight with China could be harmful to their constituents. GOP Sen. Pat Roberts, the chair of the Senate Agricultural Committee, warned of the potential downsides of trade fights after Trump announced his initial tariffs on steel and aluminum in March.
"Every time you do this, you get a retaliation, and agriculture is the number one target," Roberts said on March 1. I think this is terribly counterproductive for the ag economy."