China last week promised to buy another 5 million metric tons, or 184 million bushels, of U.S. soybeans after two days of trade meetings between high ranking officials in Washington, D.C. The total represents about 20 percent of the USDA’s latest estimate of U.S. soybean ending stocks of 955 million bushels.

Reuters reported on Feb. 1 that Chinese state-owned firms purchased at least 1 million tons, or 37 million bushels, of U.S. soybeans for April-July shipment as part of the larger...