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  3. /First Thing: China trip winds down but Trump-Xi Iran accord remains elusive
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First Thing: China trip winds down but Trump-Xi Iran accord remains elusive

The Guardian World1h ago8 min readOriginal source →
First Thing: China trip winds down but Trump-Xi Iran accord remains elusive

TL;DR

Donald Trump's visit to China concluded without significant announcements or breakthroughs on Taiwan or the Iran war. While Trump claimed progress was made, details on a potential accord with Xi Jinping remain unclear.

Key points

  • Trump's visit to China ended without major announcements.
  • No breakthroughs on Taiwan or the Iran war were achieved.
  • Trump claimed US and China have similar views on Iran.
  • Deals mentioned include China buying 200 Boeing jets.
  • Details of agreements were not confirmed by China or Boeing.

Mentioned in this story

Donald TrumpXi JinpingBoeingChina

Why it matters

The lack of significant agreements during Trump's visit highlights ongoing tensions in US-China relations and the complexities of international diplomacy regarding Iran.

Good morning.

In his visit to China, Donald Trump, has seemed to revel in Chinese hospitality and flattery. Walking in the Zhongnanhai Garden in Beijing, the US president was overheard saying that Xi Jinping, the Chinese president, was giving him roses for the White House Rose Garden, according to a pool report.

But warm words aside, there have not been any major announcements from the summit, no breakthrough on Taiwan’s future, and an accord on the Iran war has remained elusive.

Trump has claimed that the US and China “feel very similar” about ending the war in Iran but offered no details about a possible breakthrough. “We did discuss Iran,” Trump said on the final day of the meeting. “We feel very similar about [how] we want it to end. We don’t want them to have a nuclear weapon. We want the straits open.”

Trump departed Beijing on Friday. He said “a lot of good” came from his China visit and “we’ve settled a lot of different problems that other people wouldn’t have been able to solve”. Trump also said that numerous deals had been struck between the US and China, including China buying 200 Boeing jets as well as US oil and soya beans. This deal has not been confirmed by either China or Boeing.

  • What has China said on Iran? On Fridy, China’s foreign ministry again called for a ceasefire in Iran and said the strait of Hormuz should be opened “as soon as possible”. Ahead of the summit, there was speculation the US might appeal to China, the biggest buyer of Iranian oil, to use its leverage to encourage the country to reopen the strait of Hormuz. But that was walked back by US secretary of state Marco Rubio on Thursday, who said, “We don’t need their help.”
  • What about talks over Taiwan? They weren’t mentioned much. Xi took a firm tone, declaring that “Taiwan independence” and peace in the Taiwan strait were “incompatible”. Trump took a muted approach as he sidestepped questions on Taiwan. A White House readout of the meeting published later also omitted mention of the country.

Q&A

What were the outcomes of Trump's visit to China regarding Iran?

Trump's visit did not result in a breakthrough on the Iran war, although he stated that both the US and China share similar views on wanting to end it.

Did Trump and Xi Jinping reach any agreements during the summit?

No major agreements were announced during the summit, although Trump mentioned several deals, including China purchasing 200 Boeing jets.

What issues were discussed between Trump and Xi Jinping?

The discussions included the Iran war and Taiwan's future, but no significant resolutions were achieved.

What did Trump say about the outcomes of his China trip?

Trump claimed that a lot of good came from the visit and that various problems were addressed, though specifics were not provided.

People also ask

  • Trump China visit outcomes
  • Iran war discussions Trump Xi
  • agreements from Trump Xi summit
  • Taiwan future Trump China talks

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At a glance

  • Trump's visit to China ended without major announcements.
  • No breakthroughs on Taiwan or the Iran war were achieved.
  • Trump claimed US and China have similar views on Iran.
  • Deals mentioned include China buying 200 Boeing jets.
  • Details of agreements were not confirmed by China or Boeing.

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