# China Agrees to Import 10 Million Tons of US Coal Annually

*The White House announced the two-year energy purchase alongside tariff relief on $30 billion of goods, but Beijing omitted the fuel pledge from its summit record.*

**Published:** September 26, 2026  
**By:** Mei-lin Guo  
**Section:** Energy & Critical Minerals — China  
**Format:** Policy Tracker  
**Confidence:** high  
**Source:** https://eastasiabrief.com/energy-minerals/china-agrees-import-10-million-tons-us-coal-annually-379  
**Publisher:** East Asia Brief (https://eastasiabrief.com/)

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## What to know

- China agreed to import at least 10 million metric tons of U.S. coal annually in 2027 and 2028
- The pledged volume represents roughly 10% of annual U.S. coal exports and 2% of China's seaborne intake
- Bilateral trade truce extends to late November 2026 while Beijing omitted the coal purchase from its summit record

![Coal travels along a conveyor belt toward a docked cargo ship at a port as a worker in a hard hat stands by a railing. (AI-generated image)](https://eastasiabrief.com/media/2026-09-26-0d9d29a0ce21.webp)
*Coal travels along a conveyor belt toward a docked cargo ship at a port as a worker in a hard hat stands by a railing. (AI-generated image)*

The White House said Sept. 26 that China agreed to import at least 10 million metric tons of American coal in 2027 and another 10 million tons in 2028.

The commitment covers more than 20 million metric tons across the two years. That volume equals roughly 10% of total annual U.S. coal exports, which ran near 100 million short tons last year.

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Cite as: East Asia Brief, "China Agrees to Import 10 Million Tons of US Coal Annually," September 26, 2026. https://eastasiabrief.com/energy-minerals/china-agrees-import-10-million-tons-us-coal-annually-379