According to CNN, China has been facing a potential soybean shortage after it put a new 25% tariff on importing them from the United States in July, as part of the trade war between the two countries.
China is the world’s biggest buyer of soybeans, using them as feed for livestock such as pigs and chickens. More than a third of its supply comes from the United States. According to CNN, solutions for less reliance on U.S. soybeans could mean halting all imports of United States soybeans. It seems this would fit into the vegan agenda in the United States of growing less food for animals and preserving more U.S. resources.
See: https://www.cnn.com/2018/10/24/economy/china-soybeans-trade-war/index.html