BEIJING—President Trump met with Chinese leader Xi Jinping in Beijing this week, his second state visit to China and the first U.S. presidential visit to the country in nearly nine years.
Here were the top takeaways from the summit:
No joint deal announcements, but ‘strategic stability’
The summit ended without any joint announcements on specific deals, or any broader communiqué covering trade or other matters, but both sides celebrated the visit as a reset in relations. China said the two sides agreed on a new vision of “strategic stability,” while Trump described the U.S.’s relationship with China as “a very strong one.”
That could make commerce between the world’s two largest economies more predictable this year—in contrast with last year’s disruptive tit-for-tat tariff war.
Seeking alignment on Iran
Trump said the U.S. and China agreed that the war in Iran should end, that ship traffic through the Strait of Hormuz should be free and that Iran should never get a nuclear weapon. China didn’t directly address Iran in its statements about the summit, but has previously supported such positions.
On the second day of the summit, China’s Foreign Ministry released a statement saying that the U.S. should never have started the war in the first place.
Warning on Taiwan
On the first day of the summit, Xi warned against a potential clash with the U.S. over the self-ruled island that Beijing claims as its own. China wants concessions from the U.S. on Taiwan, including small but crucial rhetorical shifts such as moving to publicly “opposing” Taiwanese independence, rather than merely “not supporting” it.
Trump stayed mum on Taiwan in his public comments during his time in Beijing, but Secretary of State Marco Rubio in an interview with NBC News reiterated that U.S. policy toward the island democracy remains unchanged.
Promises for trade and investment
Trump touted “fantastic trade deals” struck at the summit, but so far, details have been scarce. The president said China agreed to buy 200 Boeing planes, as well as more American oil and agricultural products. China hasn’t yet announced any such purchases.
Xi told a delegation of American executives that China will open wider to foreign businesses. The White House said the two sides discussed expanding U.S. access to the Chinese market and Beijing’s investment in U.S. industries. Members of the Trump administration said in the run-up to the summit that the two sides would discuss the creation of a “board of trade” and a “board of investment.”
Talks to continue
Trump invited Xi to the White House on Sept. 24, and both leaders may also see one another at two international gatherings set to take place this year.
While touring the garden at Zhongnanhai, where China’s top officials live and work, Trump admired the roses and said they were the most beautiful he had ever seen. Xi said he would send Trump some rose seeds for the White House Rose Garden.
Write to Hannah Miao at hannah.miao@wsj.com
