Why China Matters to Nebraska
Nebraska’s exports to China are in a period of rapid expansion, with 2022 once again marking a record high as China remained the state’s top export market. Chinese exports accounted for 20% of Nebraska’s global goods, with Nebraska among the leading exporters of beef to China amongst Heartland states. Further expansion of its exports to China are likely given the bilateral desires for expanded collaboration in agriculture and the abundance of agricultural innovations in livestock and crop production technology coming from the state. Universities in Nebraska have well-established partnerships with Chinese universities such as a short-term health professional exchange program between University of Nebraska Medical Center and three top Chinese medical schools: Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Tongji University, and Capital Medical University. Over the last few decades, Chinese investments in the states have ranged from subsidiaries of multinational agriculture players with Chinese ownership to smaller manufacturers of lawn and farm equipment. Politicians from Nebraska have recently taken measures to distance the state from China over espionage concerns. Governor Pillen’s March executive order banned the use of communication equipment from companies like Huawei, ZTE, Hytera, Hangzhou Hikvision, and Dahua due to their ties with the Chinese Communist Party. In 2023, Governor Pillen faced criticism for dismissing the work of a local award-winning reporter, who had immigrated from China, as being from “Communist China.”
Nebraska’s exports to China are in a period of rapid expansion, with 2022 once again marking a record high as China remained the state’s top export market. Chinese exports accounted for 20% of Nebraska’s global goods, with Nebraska among the leading exporters of beef to China amongst Heartland states. Further expansion of its exports to China are likely given the bilateral desires for expanded collaboration in agriculture and the abundance of agricultural innovations in livestock and crop production technology coming from the state.
In 2018 Nebraska’s trade with China was devastated by steep tariffs on beef, pork, and soybeans, cutting its exporting to China in half from $1.4 billion in 2017 to the previously stated $700 million in 2018. In just that year, oilseeds and grains shipments dropped by two-thirds, and meat exporting by 20%. The timing could not have been poorer; just the year prior in 2017 China had lifted its 14-year long ban on importing U.S. beef, but this emerging market was stymied during the trade war. Nebraska had positioned itself at the time to seize the opportunity, quickly comprising more than half of the total U.S. beef exports to China at 54%) but then was stifled by a 47% tariff on American beef.
Over the last few decades, Chinese investments in the states have ranged from subsidiaries of multinational agriculture players with Chinese ownership to smaller manufacturers of lawn and farm equipment.
In addition to agriculture, Nebraska has a number of potential opportunities for Chinese commerce and investment; one such being the growing field of cryptocurrency. When China banned digital currency, many Chinese Bitcoin investors turned to Nebraska, which houses one of America’s biggest data centers for cryptocurrency mining.
Politicians from Nebraska have recently taken measures to distance the state from China over espionage concerns. Governor Pillen’s March executive order banned the use of communication equipment from companies like Huawei, ZTE, Hytera, Hangzhou Hikvision, and Dahua due to their ties with the Chinese Communist Party. In 2023, Governor Pillen faced criticism for dismissing the work of a local award-winning reporter, who had immigrated from China, as being from “Communist China.”
Universities in Nebraska have well-established partnerships with Chinese universities such as a short-term health professional exchange program between University of Nebraska Medical Center and three top Chinese medical schools: Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Tongji University, and Capital Medical University.
This data and content is updated periodically. The most recent update was January 2024.
Nebraska’s exports to China are in a period of rapid expansion, with 2022 once again marking a record high as China remained the state’s top export market. Chinese exports accounted for 20% of Nebraska’s global goods, with Nebraska among the leading exporters of beef to China amongst Heartland states. Further expansion of its exports to China are likely given the bilateral desires for expanded collaboration in agriculture and the abundance of agricultural innovations in livestock and crop production technology coming from the state. Universities in Nebraska have well-established partnerships with Chinese universities such as a short-term health professional exchange program between University of Nebraska Medical Center and three top Chinese medical schools: Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Tongji University, and Capital Medical University. Over the last few decades, Chinese investments in the states have ranged from subsidiaries of multinational agriculture players with Chinese ownership to smaller manufacturers of lawn and farm equipment. Politicians from Nebraska have recently taken measures to distance the state from China over espionage concerns. Governor Pillen’s March executive order banned the use of communication equipment from companies like Huawei, ZTE, Hytera, Hangzhou Hikvision, and Dahua due to their ties with the Chinese Communist Party. In 2023, Governor Pillen faced criticism for dismissing the work of a local award-winning reporter, who had immigrated from China, as being from “Communist China.”
Nebraska’s exports to China are in a period of rapid expansion, with 2022 once again marking a record high as China remained the state’s top export market. Chinese exports accounted for 20% of Nebraska’s global goods, with Nebraska among the leading exporters of beef to China amongst Heartland states. Further expansion of its exports to China are likely given the bilateral desires for expanded collaboration in agriculture and the abundance of agricultural innovations in livestock and crop production technology coming from the state.
In 2018 Nebraska’s trade with China was devastated by steep tariffs on beef, pork, and soybeans, cutting its exporting to China in half from $1.4 billion in 2017 to the previously stated $700 million in 2018. In just that year, oilseeds and grains shipments dropped by two-thirds, and meat exporting by 20%. The timing could not have been poorer; just the year prior in 2017 China had lifted its 14-year long ban on importing U.S. beef, but this emerging market was stymied during the trade war. Nebraska had positioned itself at the time to seize the opportunity, quickly comprising more than half of the total U.S. beef exports to China at 54%) but then was stifled by a 47% tariff on American beef.
Over the last few decades, Chinese investments in the states have ranged from subsidiaries of multinational agriculture players with Chinese ownership to smaller manufacturers of lawn and farm equipment.
In addition to agriculture, Nebraska has a number of potential opportunities for Chinese commerce and investment; one such being the growing field of cryptocurrency. When China banned digital currency, many Chinese Bitcoin investors turned to Nebraska, which houses one of America’s biggest data centers for cryptocurrency mining.
Politicians from Nebraska have recently taken measures to distance the state from China over espionage concerns. Governor Pillen’s March executive order banned the use of communication equipment from companies like Huawei, ZTE, Hytera, Hangzhou Hikvision, and Dahua due to their ties with the Chinese Communist Party. In 2023, Governor Pillen faced criticism for dismissing the work of a local award-winning reporter, who had immigrated from China, as being from “Communist China.”
Universities in Nebraska have well-established partnerships with Chinese universities such as a short-term health professional exchange program between University of Nebraska Medical Center and three top Chinese medical schools: Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Tongji University, and Capital Medical University.
This data and content is updated periodically. The most recent update was January 2024.
Exports
China's Ranking
In State's Global Trading Partners 2022
#1
Decade Average
Goods Exporting to China
2008-2017 Pre-Trade War
$1.4 Billion
Highest Year on Record
Goods Exporting to China
2022
% State Global Exporting to china
20%
of Goods Exports 2022
6%
of Service Exports 2021
State Ranking in Heartland
#12
In Total Goods Exports Value 2022
#17
In Total Service Exports Value 2021
State Ranking in U.S.
#22
In Total Goods Exports Value 2022
#37
In Total Service Exports Value 2021
China's Ranking
In State's Global Trading Partners 2022
#1
Decade Average
Goods Exporting to China
2008-2017 Pre-Trade War
$1.4 Billion
Highest Year on Record
Goods Exporting to China
2022
% State global exporting to china
20%
of Goods Exports 2022
6%
of Service Exports 2021
State Ranking in Heartland
#12
In Total Goods Exports Value 2022
#17
In Total Service Exports Value 2021
State Ranking in U.S.
#22
In Total Goods Exports Value 2022
#37
In Total Service Exports Value 2021
Partnership
Sister Cities
- Omaha/Yantai
Sister Partnership
Nebraska
Shaanxi
Guizhou
Export Details
2022
Goods Exports
$2.6 Billion
(USCBC Export Report 2023) +10%
1
Oil Seeds & Grains ($2.1B)
+23%
2
Meat Products ($321M)
-14%
3
Medical Equipment & Supplies ($24M)
-20%
2021
Service Exports
$125 Million
(USCBC Export Report 2023) -3%
1
Education ($37M)
-26%
2
Royalties from Industrial Processes ($16M)
+0%
3
Trademark Royalties ($11M)
+13%
blank
Jobs
22,020
Jobs supported by exports to China in 2021 (USCBC Export Report 2023)
3,000
Jobs supported by Chinese companies (NCUSR Rhodium Group 2018)
+18
Chinese companies operating in-state (NCUSR Rhodium Group 2018)
1
Syngenta 1,000 employees
2
Wanxiang 200 employees
3
Jinhe Biotech 200 employees
Education
(IIE Open Doors 2023)
Top educational Institutions with chinese enrollment
- University of Nebraska – Lincoln
- University of Nebraska – Omaha
- University of Nebraska Medical Center
626
Estimated number of Chinese International Students in-State
$37 Million
Estimated revenue added by Chinese International Students (USCBC Export Report 2022)
Chinese-American Population
8,517
(APIAVote 2022)
Goods Exporting
Oilseeds & Grains accounted for 80% of Nebraska’s total goods exporting to China in 2022
$65 million
Chinese Foreign Direct Investment from 1990-2020
(Rhodium Group’s US-China Investment Hub)
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For the states’ trade statistics: USCBC Export Report 2023.
For information relating to Chinese companies operating in-state: Rhodium Group and National Committee on U.S. China Relations’ “New Neighbors: 2018 Update”.
For information relating to Chinese international students: Open Doors’ 2023 Annual Data.
For the population of Chinese Americans in-state: APIAVote’s “2022 AAPI Voter Demographics by State”
For FDI: Rhodium Group’s US-China Investment Hub.
For sister city relationship information: Asia Matters for America by the East-West Center.
For foreign land ownership legislation: Mykel R. Taylor, Wendong Zhang, and Festus Attah. 2023. “Foreign Interests in U.S. Agricultural Lands: The Missing Conversations about Leasing.”