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- Xi describes visit as a significant milestone.
- Trump highlights Boeing agreement.
- China calls for a durable ceasefire in Iran.
BEIJING: President Donald Trump announced he secured “fantastic trade agreements” with China’s Xi Jinping during their Friday meeting at the concluding sessions of a major summit. The US leader also claimed that China offered to assist in reopening the Strait of Hormuz.
Trump traveled to Beijing aiming to finalize deals in fields like agriculture, aviation, and artificial intelligence, while also addressing longstanding tensions in strategic areas, including the conflict in the Middle East.
While Trump referred to Xi as a “great leader” and “friend,” the Chinese president’s responses have been more subdued.
The US President stated, “A lot of positive outcomes have resulted from this visit.” He added, “We negotiated some fantastic trade deals, which are beneficial for both nations.” Trump also mentioned resolving issues that others might have found insurmountable, though he did not give specific details.
Xi called the visit a “milestone,” emphasizing that the two nations have established “a new bilateral relationship that promotes constructive strategic stability.” He also joked about sending Trump seeds for the White House Rose Garden.
‘Assistance on Hormuz’
After the first day of discussions, Trump told Fox News that Xi Jinping agreed to several of the US’s key requests, particularly concerning Iran. Trump claimed Xi reassured him that China isn’t planning military intervention to aid Tehran, which has effectively shut down the Strait of Hormuz.
“He emphasized that he wouldn’t be providing military equipment,” Trump explained to Fox. “He also expressed a desire to help reopen the Hormuz Strait if possible.”
Regarding Iran, China’s foreign ministry issued a statement calling for “a comprehensive and lasting ceasefire,” urging that shipping lanes be reactivated swiftly in response to international demands.
Policy on Taiwan Remains Unchanged
The friendly gestures on Thursday were somewhat overshadowed by Xi Jinping’s stern warning about Taiwan—a long-standing and sensitive issue. Shortly after talks commenced, Chinese state media quoted Xi as telling Trump that missteps regarding Taiwan might escalate into conflict.
The Fox News interview did not touch upon Taiwan, and Trump avoided commenting on the topic when questioned Thursday. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent indicated that the president might share more on the matter soon, while Secretary of State Marco Rubio affirmed that “U.S. policy regarding Taiwan remains unchanged.” He added that China raised Taiwan during discussions but that the U.S. just reiterated its stance and moved on.
Taiwan responded on Friday, expressing gratitude for US support.
Deals on Boeing, Oil, and Soybeans
Trump didn’t specify all trade agreements sealed during the summit but mentioned a significant deal involving Xi Jinping’s commitment to buy around 200 large Boeing aircraft. Following his remarks, Boeing’s shares dropped, suggesting market expectations for substantial Chinese purchases remain high.
He also stated that China expressed interest in purchasing U.S. oil and soybeans. Historically, China was a key foreign buyer of Iranian oil and bought modest amounts of U.S. oil before tariffs increased last year, but it has scaled back soybean imports, favoring Brazil instead.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent added that Trump and Xi discussed setting “guardrails” for artificial intelligence usage. While talks about AI are set to begin between the two superpowers, U.S. restrictions on technology exports to China remain a sticking point in the relationship.
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