US president wraps up Beijing summit with plenty of goodwill but few deals
Beijing: Donald Trump’s two-day visit to Beijing resulted in numerous displays of goodwill between the US President and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping, but few definitive trade agreements.
Trump and Xi held a second round of talks on Friday and walked together in Zhongnanhai, the secret headquarters of the ruling Communist Party and the residence of its top leaders.
In his opening speech at the campus, Trump said his visit to Beijing allowed the two powers to stabilize their relations.
“We’ve solved a lot of different problems that others couldn’t solve. And our relationship is very strong. I believe we’ve done some really great things,” Trump said.
He insisted that both countries had the same view on the situation in Iran.
“We discussed Iran. We feel very similar and we want this to end. We don’t want them to have nuclear weapons, we want the straits to be opened.”
But it remains unclear whether Trump has received any firm commitment from Xi for China to strengthen its relationship with Tehran and play a more interventionist role in reopening the Strait of Hormuz.
The leaders took a short walk through grounds of ancient trees and Chinese roses and wandered through a covered walkway filled with green pillars and arches painted with birds and traditional Chinese mountain scenes.
Xi called Trump’s visit a “turning point” that “established a new bilateral relationship, or rather a constructive, strategic, stable relationship.”
Despite the optimistic tone, neither side announced a concrete agreement as the US president returned to Washington DC. While there is some common ground on Iran, Xi issued a clear warning about Taiwan’s status at the beginning of the summit, showing why the issue remains the biggest point of friction between the two countries.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio told NBC News that America’s policy toward Taiwan “has not changed” and framed Xi’s comments as standard practice.
“They always bring up the issue on their side. We always clarify our position and move on to other issues,” said Rubio, who is among the senior aides who will join Trump in the talks.
Although no concrete announcements have been made regarding trade agreements so far, the Trump administration is confident that the summit will yield gains.
Trump told Fox News on Thursday that he signed “great trade deals” during an “incredible” visit. “A lot of good came out of this,” he said, including deals that were “great for both countries.”
He said China had agreed to buy 200 Boeing planes, far fewer than the 500-plane package analysts had expected.
Expectations that China would buy more US agricultural products were specifically voiced by the Trump administration ahead of the last meeting between the leaders.
U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer told Bloomberg Television on Friday that China will commit billions of dollars in American agricultural purchases.
“We also expect to see an agreement after this visit for double-digit billions in agricultural purchases annually over the next three years, and that’s more general, that’s total, that’s not just soybeans, that’s everything else,” Greer said.
As they began the meetings, US officials had brought up the creation of the so-called “Trade Board” and suggested it as a mechanism to reduce trade barriers and reduce tariffs on non-critical goods, thus reducing trade tensions between the two countries.
Greer, who accompanied Trump on the trip, also commented on Xi’s latest warning regarding Taiwan, according to reports in the Chinese media, and said that the tone in the meetings was not harsh.
“I don’t expect the Taiwan issue to seep into us. [the] Board of Trade. I don’t,” Greer told Bloomberg Television.
“We have known for a long time that the Taiwan issue is of key importance to the Chinese.”
On Thursday, Trump and Xi concluded the first day of their summit with a banquet at the Great Hall of the People.
Both leaders toasted; In referencing MAGA, Xi stuck to a very tight script, emphasizing the usual talking points about cooperation over conflict.
“The people of China and the United States are great people; achieving a great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation and making America great again can go hand in hand,” Xi said.
Trump texted similarly, not deviating from a pre-written speech touching on China’s historical influence in America and noting that founding father Benjamin Franklin published the words of Confucius in his colonial newspaper.
“Most Chinese now love basketball and jeans,” Trump said.
“Today, there are more Chinese restaurants in America than the five largest fast-food chains in the United States combined. That’s a pretty big statement.”
He concluded his toast by inviting Xi and his wife, Peng Liyuan, to visit the White House in September.
Guests enjoyed a fusion of Chinese and Western dishes, including Beijing braised duck and beef ribs, China’s national dish, lobster in tomato soup, stewed seasonal vegetables, slow-cooked salmon in mustard sauce, and stir-fried pork buns.
We had tiramisu, fruit, ice cream and “a trumpet shell shaped pastry for dessert”.
with wires
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Lisa Visentin is the North Asia correspondent for The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age, based in Beijing. He was previously a federal political correspondent in Canberra.Connect with: X or email.
