Trump leaves Beijing with limited gains but warm words for Xi 

BEIJING, China — United States President Donald Trump concluded his three-day visit to China on Friday without securing major breakthroughs on trade or obtaining concrete commitments from Beijing regarding the ongoing Iran conflict, despite repeated public displays of goodwill toward Chinese President Xi Jinping.

The summit marked Trump’s first trip to China since 2017 and was closely watched as his administration sought diplomatic and economic gains ahead of the 2026 U.S. midterm elections. While the visit featured elaborate ceremonies and symbolic gestures, substantive agreements remained limited.

Behind closed doors, Xi reportedly delivered a firm warning regarding Taiwan, cautioning that any mishandling of the issue could escalate tensions into open conflict. Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One during his return flight to the United States, Trump confirmed that Xi reiterated Beijing’s opposition to Taiwan’s independence.

“I heard him out. I didn’t make a comment. I made no commitment either way,” Trump said, adding that he would decide on a pending U.S. arms sale to Taiwan after consulting with Taiwanese leaders.

Throughout the visit, Trump maintained a notably restrained tone, focusing much of his public remarks on praising Xi and emphasizing the cordial atmosphere of the meetings.

“It’s been an incredible visit. I think a lot of good has come of it,” Trump told Xi during their final meeting at Zhongnanhai, the Chinese leadership compound in Beijing.

Despite the positive rhetoric, analysts noted clear differences in priorities between the two governments. Trump pursued immediate economic gains, including commercial agreements involving Boeing aircraft sales, while Xi emphasized long-term strategic stability in bilateral relations.

Xi introduced a new phrase to define future ties between Washington and Beijing, calling for “constructive strategic stability,” a notable departure from the “strategic competition” framework widely used during former U.S. President Joe Biden’s administration.

Da Wei, director of the Center for International Security and Strategy at Tsinghua University, described the terminology as a possible diplomatic opening.

“Until now, China hasn’t proposed an alternative. Now they have. If the U.S. side agrees, that is progress,” Da said.

A brief White House summary of Thursday’s discussions stated that both leaders expressed interest in reopening the Strait of Hormuz and discussed energy security concerns linked to the Iran conflict. China also reportedly signaled interest in increasing imports of American oil to reduce dependence on Middle Eastern suppliers.

However, shortly before another round of talks on Friday, China’s foreign ministry issued a pointed statement criticizing the war and calling for renewed peace negotiations.

“This conflict, which should never have happened, has no reason to continue,” the ministry said, warning that the fighting was disrupting global energy supplies and harming the world economy.

Although Trump later claimed that he and Xi shared similar views on Iran, analysts noted the absence of any concrete Chinese commitment to pressure Tehran into negotiations.

Patricia Kim, a foreign policy fellow at the Brookings Institution, said the summit produced little evidence that Beijing was prepared to alter its strategic relationship with Iran.

“What’s notable is that there’s no Chinese commitment to do anything specific with regards to Iran,” Kim said.

Trade outcomes also fell short of earlier expectations. Trump announced that China would purchase 200 Boeing aircraft, although neither Beijing nor Boeing publicly confirmed the agreement as of Friday. Earlier reports had suggested negotiations could involve as many as 500 aircraft.

Trump later suggested the agreement could eventually expand to 750 aircraft if initial deliveries proceed successfully.

U.S. officials also announced agreements involving agricultural products and discussions aimed at improving future trade coordination. Both countries are reportedly exploring approximately $30 billion worth of non-sensitive goods for expanded trade cooperation.

Still, several major disputes remained unresolved, including restrictions on advanced Nvidia AI chip sales to China and disagreements over China’s export controls on rare earth minerals critical to the U.S. technology and aerospace sectors.

Trump also confirmed that he and Xi did not discuss tariffs or extending the current trade truce beyond later this year.

Analysts viewed the absence of progress on these structural issues as evidence of the summit’s limited scope compared with previous high-level meetings between the two countries.

Taiwan remained one of the most sensitive topics throughout the visit. Beijing continues to claim the self-governed island as part of its territory and has refused to rule out the use of force to assert control. The United States, meanwhile, remains legally committed to helping Taiwan maintain its self-defense capabilities.

Following the summit, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio reiterated that Washington’s policy toward Taiwan had not changed.

Taiwanese Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung also thanked the United States for reaffirming its support for the island.