The sales come ahead of trade talks between the world's two biggest economies and were expected as part of a purchase of more than 600,000 tonnes of US soyabeans that two traders with knowledge of the deal said China made last week.
The United States and China have both made conciliatory gestures ahead of negotiations to end the trade war between the two countries, with China renewing purchases of US farm goods and US President Donald Trump delaying a tariff increase on certain Chinese goods.
On Friday, the USDA said private exporters had sold 204,000 tonnes of US soyabeans to China.