U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on Thursday predicted a “pretty big breakthrough” in upcoming U.S.-China trade talks, even as the Trump administration moves to support American farmers hit by a sharp drop in Chinese soybean purchases. He noted a crucial bilateral meeting between Trump and Xi Jinping set for the late-October summit in South Korea, alongside his fifth round of talks with Vice Premier He Lifeng. Agricultural purchases, especially soybeans, remain a major sticking point, with China leveraging trade and rare earths to press the U.S. on tariffs and export controls. Beijing has yet to buy any soybeans from this year’s U.S. harvest, raising storage concerns. Xi has also called for a “fair and non-discriminatory” investment environment and urged the U.S. to avoid restrictive measures. Bessent said support for U.S. farmers, particularly in soy, will be announced next Tuesday. Talks occur ahead of the Nov. 10 expiration of the tariff truce.