Some Chinese customs officials decided to ask soybean exporters to declare their soybeans Covid-free. Which is simply stupid. The soybeans are at ambient temperatures, generally for over a month, and loaded by machines in bulk. The idea Covid could spread this way is absurd.

I get the concern about frozen meat, because that's scientifically plausible. Frozen containers, from virus hot spots in the US and Brazil, could potentially have it. But soybeans?

But... there's 2 very important lessons in this soybean/covid thing.

First, by Wu-Tang, C.R.E.A.M (Covid Rules Everything Around Me). Covid19 prevention in China takes priority over everything.

2nd, China's not a monolith. This soybean-covid thing is silly, and anti-science, but was probably done by someone making sure to cover their own butt, and knowing it was silly and unscientific.

There's a tendency to read every action by 'China' as a strategic and calculated move, but the reality is often messier.

So if you're a customs official, refer back to point #1. Is it a silly ask? Sure. Does it cost you anything? Not really. Does it cover you on the off chance there's an outbreak at a port? Yep.

There's a 40 year old quote in a Rand paper I come back to a lot when trying to understand what's happening.