May 15 (Reuters) - China renewed export licenses that

had expired for more than 400 U.S. beef plants, the Chinese

customs website showed on Friday, after President Donald Trump

and Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping concluded their summit in

Beijing.

A casualty of the recent trade war between Beijing and

Washington, U.S. beef exports to China peaked at $1.7 billion in

2022.

More than 400 U.S. plants lost export eligibility over the past

year as Beijing's permissions, granted between March 2020 and

April 2021, lapsed without the customary renewals, accounting

for roughly 65% of the once-registered facilities.

"China's renewal of U.S. beef establishments is excellent

news for the U.S. beef industry and for the customers in China

who are anxious to resume purchases," said Dan Halstrom, CEO of

the U.S. Meat Export Federation, an industry group.

The federation confirmed China granted five-year

registration extensions to 425 overdue U.S. beef plants and new

five-year registrations for 77 additional U.S. facilities.

The White House told ranchers in recent weeks that export

licenses would be discussed at the summit.

Reuters reported on Thursday that the long-awaited licenses had

been approved as U.S. and Chinese leaders met, before Chinese

customs appeared to halt the clearances hours later.

LITTLE U.S. BEEF TO EXPORT

On Friday, China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi said both sides had

agreed to address concerns regarding market access for

agricultural products.

Though welcomed by American producers, China's approvals

were not expected to result in a surge of exports from the U.S.,

where supplies are tight and prices are soaring.

U.S. beef prices set records this year due to strong domestic

demand and as the nation's cattle herd dwindled to a 75-year

low. Earlier this week, Trump was considering executive actions

to facilitate increased beef imports to cool domestic prices.

"We don't really have the supply to be exporting right now,"

said Austin Schroeder, analyst for commodity advisory firm

Brugler Marketing & Management.

Cargill CEO Brian Sikes was among U.S. CEOs accompanying

Trump on his visit to China. Facilities owned by Cargill, a

major U.S. producer of ground beef, and other meat companies

were included in the approvals.