Trump leaves China with no deals

President Donald Trump left Beijing on Friday after a two-day summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping that yielded no major breakthroughs on tariffs, Taiwan or Iran, according to Reuters and Chinese and U.S. readouts. Trump told reporters on Air Force One that he had “good talks” with Xi and later described the visit as producing “fantastic trade deals,” but neither side announced a concrete agreement on the main disputes that framed the trip. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said Xi had accepted an invitation to visit the United States in the fall. Markets and officials treated the meeting as a bid to stabilize ties rather than settle them. ### If Trump said there were “fantastic trade deals,” what was actually announced? Trump returned from Beijing without a signed trade package, a tariff rollback schedule or a public joint statement detailing new commitments, Reuters reported. The clearest economic item discussed ahead of the summit was a possible managed-trade mechanism covering non-sensitive goods, but the framework remained under negotiation. (usnews.com) Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng met in Incheon, South Korea, before the leaders’ talks to prepare economic proposals. Reuters reported that U.S. officials had been considering a framework under which each side could lower barriers on roughly $30 billion of goods, and U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer had described a proposed “Board of Trade” as a possible deliverable. Reuters also reported that it was unclear whether Trump and Xi would identify specific goods in Beijing or leave that for later meetings. (usnews.com) ### Why did Taiwan overshadow the summit? Xi Jinping used the Beijing meetings to warn Trump that Taiwan remained the most important issue in the relationship, according to Xinhua and CNBC’s account of the talks. Xi said mishandling the issue could put the bilateral relationship in “great jeopardy,” and Reuters reported that he warned Trump any misstep could spiral into conflict. (usnews.com) Trump told reporters on his flight home that Xi had said he opposed Taiwan independence and that he had listened without making a commitment. Trump also said he would decide soon on a pending U.S. arms sale to Taiwan after speaking with “the person” running the island, Reuters reported. Reuters said it was unclear whether Trump meant Taiwan President Lai Ching-te. (cnbc.com) ### Did the summit move the two sides any closer on Iran? Reuters reported that Trump also left Beijing without tangible help from China to end the Iran war. Iran had been part of the summit agenda because Beijing is one of Tehran’s most important economic partners and has positioned itself as a possible intermediary, according to the Associated Press. (usnews.com) The Associated Press reported before the meeting that ending the war with Iran was likely to be added to the agenda. But no public agreement emerged in Beijing laying out a joint U.S.-China initiative, timetable or enforcement mechanism tied to Iran. ### Was this trip meant to solve disputes or just keep relations from worsening? (usnews.com) Reuters reported that Xi promoted a longer-term reset and described the relationship as one of “constructive strategic stability,” a phrase that marked a shift from the “strategic competition” language used by former President Joe Biden. The Associated Press, citing analysts including CSIS senior fellow Henrietta Levin and former U.S. negotiator Wendy Cutler, said few observers expected major breakthroughs and that both sides were focused first on preserving stability. (abcnews.com) The broader trade conflict remained in place. The Associated Press reported that Trump’s tariff campaign against China escalated last year, with tariffs at one point reaching 145% before both sides moved to a truce and later extended it in South Korea in October. That truce reduced pressure, but it did not resolve disputes over technology, rare earths or Taiwan. (usnews.com) ### What comes next after Beijing? Wang Yi said Xi Jinping will visit the United States in the fall, giving both governments a next summit to prepare for, Reuters reported. Any narrower trade mechanism discussed in Beijing appears likely to be pushed into follow-on talks among Bessent, He Lifeng and trade officials, since Reuters reported no final list of goods or formal tariff-cut package was announced during Trump’s May 15 departure from China. (abcnews.com) (usnews.com)