Inside the Great Hall of the People on Tiananmen Square, Donald Trump and Xi Jinping met on May 14 and 15. Both leaders called the meetings important. Xi described them as a "milestone," while Trump told reporters they had made "fantastic trade deals for both countries."
However, when the two governments released their official statements, major differences appeared. The American statement said both sides agreed that Iran cannot have nuclear weapons and that the Strait of Hormuz must stay open. China's statement mentioned neither of these points. The White House discussed ending the flow of fentanyl chemicals from Mexico, but Beijing did not mention this at all.
Beijing's statement focused on Taiwan. Xi told Trump that Taiwan is the most important issue in their relationship. If not handled properly, he warned, the two countries could face conflict. The American statement did not mention Taiwan.
Both sides agreed to a vague framework for a "constructive China-U.S. relationship of strategic stability" for the next three years. The most concrete result was Boeing's aircraft deal: China agreed to buy 200 planes, though this disappointed Wall Street analysts who expected closer to 500.
No major trade agreement emerged, and Nvidia received no breakthrough on advanced AI chips. The clearest achievement was an invitation for Xi to visit the United States in September. For now, continued dialogue is the main result of the two days of talks.