Trump leaves Beijing with no major breakthroughs on trade or Iran war

US President Donald Trump left China on Friday with no major breakthroughs on trade or tangible help from Beijing to end the Iran war, despite two days spent heaping praise on his host, Xi Jinping.

Trump's visit to America's main ‌strategic and economic rival, the first by a US president since his last trip in 2017, had aimed for tangible results to beef up his sagging approval ratings before midterm elections. The summit was filled ​with pageantry, from goose-stepping soldiers to tours ⁠of a secret garden, but behind closed doors Xi issued a stark warning to Trump that any mishandling of China's top concern, Taiwan, could spiral into ‌conflict. During a huddle with reporters on the way back to ‌the US, Trump said Xi told him he opposed Taiwan's independence.

"I heard him out. I didn't make a comment...I made no commitment either way," said Trump. He added that he will decide on a pending arms sale to Taiwan shortly, after speaking to "the person that right now is...running Taiwan."

These were the first freewheeling remarks after two days in Beijing during which Trump stayed unusually restrained, with his off-the-cuff comments mainly focused on feting Xi's warmth and stature.

Donald Trump boards Air Force One as he departs from Beijing Capital International Airport on Friday. Reuters

"It's been an incredible ‌visit. I think a lot of good has come of it," Trump told Xi at their final meeting at the Zhongnanhai complex, a former imperial garden, before their lunch of lobster balls and Kung Pao chicken.

While Trump searched ⁠for immediate business wins, such as a deal to sell Boeing jets that did not impress investors, Xi talked up a long-term reset and pact to maintain stable trade ties with Washington, underscoring their differing priorities.

Xi pushed the new term to describe the relationship as "constructive strategic stability” — a sharp departure from the framing of "strategic competition” used by former US President Joe Biden which Beijing disliked.

Donald Trump speaks with a Chinese delegation as he walks to board Air Force One at Beijing Capital International Airport on Friday. Ruters

"Until now, China hasn't proposed an alternative - now they have - if the U.S. side agrees, that is progress,” said Da Wei, director of the Center for International Security and Strategy at Tsinghua University in Beijing.

NO HELP ON IRAN

A brief US summary of Thursday's talks highlighted what the White House called the leaders' shared desire to reopen the Strait of Hormuz off Iran, and Xi's interest in American oil purchases to pare its dependence on the Middle East.
But just before the leaders met for ​tea on Friday, China's foreign ministry issued a blunt statement outlining its frustration with the war.

Donald Trump gestures to Xi Jinping as he leaves after a visit to Zhongnanhai Garden in Beijing on Friday. AFP

"This conflict, which should never have happened, has no reason to continue," the ministry said, adding that ‌China supported efforts to reach a peace deal in a war that had disrupted energy supplies and the global economy.

At Zhongnanhai, Trump said the leaders had discussed Iran and felt "very similar," though Xi did not comment.

On the flight back home, Trump added that he wasn't "asking for any favours" on Iran.  "I'm not asking for any favours because, when you ‌ask for favours, you have to do favours in return," Trump said, when asked by a reporter on his plane home whether Xi had made any firm commitment to put pressure on the Iranians to reopen the strait.

"We've wiped out their (Iran's) armed forces, essentially. We may have to do a little cleanup work." Xi did not comment on his discussions with Trump about Iran, although China's foreign ministry issued a blunt statement outlining Beijing's frustration ‌with the Iran war. "This conflict, which should never have happened, has no reason to continue," the ministry said.

Iran effectively shut the strait to most shipping traffic in response to US-Israeli attacks which began on ⁠February 28, causing an unprecedented disruption to global energy supplies.

Still, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent had urged Beijing to use its leverage with Tehran to make a deal. But analysts doubt Xi will be willing to push ⁠Tehran hard or end support for its military, given Iran’s value to Beijing as a strategic counterweight to the US.

"What's notable is that there's no Chinese commitment to do anything specific with regards to Iran," said Patricia Kim, a foreign policy fellow at the Brookings Institution.

Reuters