Trump leaves China with no deal

President Donald Trump left Beijing on May 15 after two days of meetings with Chinese leader Xi Jinping that ended with upbeat language but few binding outcomes. Trump said the talks were “very good” and told reporters he and Xi had discussed “almost everything,” while Chinese state media said the two sides agreed on a framework of “strategic stability” for the next three years. Public readouts from both governments, however, showed no broad settlement on tariffs, Taiwan, Iran, technology or other disputes that have strained ties. China’s commerce ministry said on May 16 that the trade, farm and aircraft arrangements announced during the visit were still “preliminary.” ### If both sides called the talks productive, what actually came out of them? China’s commerce ministry said the two governments agreed to set up an investment board and a trade board to negotiate reciprocal, product-specific tariff reductions and broader cuts on some other goods, including agricultural products. The ministry also said both sides would work on non-tariff barriers and market-access issues affecting products such as U.S. beef and poultry and Chinese dairy, aquatic products and bonsai exports. (nbcnews.com) It did not identify companies or give volumes, values or timelines. Trump said China had agreed to buy U.S. oil and 200 Boeing aircraft, and U.S. officials said they expected large Chinese purchases of American farm goods. Boeing had not publicly detailed the aircraft arrangement in the reporting available on May 16, and China’s commerce ministry confirmed only that there were arrangements on aircraft purchases and U.S. assurances on the supply of aircraft engines and parts, adding that details were still under discussion. (straitstimes.com) ### Why are the announced trade pledges being treated cautiously? China’s May 16 statement used the word “preliminary” to describe the tariff, agricultural and aircraft deals from Trump’s visit. The ministry said the agreements would be finalized “as soon as possible,” but it did not attach dates or dollar figures. (straitstimes.com) Jamieson Greer, the U.S. trade representative, said on May 15 that Washington expected China to commit to “double-digit billions” in agricultural purchases over the next three years, including soybeans and other products. That was a forecast from a U.S. official, not a signed purchase contract released by either government. (straitstimes.com) Ryan Fedasiuk of the American Enterprise Institute said the main question after the summit was which of Trump’s proposed deals were “ripe enough” to be completed, adding that “a lot will be left on the tree to ripen further.” Craig Singleton of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies said “neither side moved on the issues that matter most,” citing technology, Taiwan, Iran, rare earths and supply chains. (money.usnews.com) ### Which disputes were left unresolved in Beijing? Taiwan remained one of the sharpest points of friction. NBC News reported that Xi warned of “clashes and even conflicts” with the United States over Taiwan if the issue was not handled “properly,” according to a Chinese readout of the meeting. Trump later said he discussed U.S. arms sales to Taiwan “in great detail” with Xi and would decide “shortly” on a long-delayed $14 billion package. (cnbc.com) NBC News also reported that no decisions were made on Iran, tariffs or Taiwan during the summit. The public accounts of the visit likewise did not show any breakthrough on U.S. technology restrictions or on the broader tariff truce reached last year. ### Why were business executives part of the trip? (nbcnews.com) U.S. business leaders joined Trump in Beijing as both governments tried to show that commercial ties could continue even while security disputes persisted. CNBC reported that the summit agenda ranged from trade and oil to Boeing and Taiwan, underscoring how closely business issues were tied to the diplomatic talks. (nbcnews.com) The commercial announcements also gave both sides specific items to point to after a meeting that otherwise produced few measurable deliverables. China’s commerce ministry highlighted aircraft, agricultural access and tariff talks, while Trump emphasized oil, planes and farm sales in public remarks and interviews. (cnbc.com) ### What happens next after Trump’s departure? Trump invited Xi to visit the White House on Sept. 24 during the Beijing trip, according to Politico and CNBC. Chinese state media noted the invitation, but CNBC reported that Beijing had not confirmed Xi would accept it. The new trade and investment boards named by China’s commerce ministry are the clearest formal next step from the summit. (straitstimes.com) Their job, according to the ministry, is to negotiate product-specific tariff reductions and work through market-access disputes that both governments listed after the meetings in Beijing. (politico.com)