Chinese President Xi Jinping left for home on the 25th local time, wrapping up a three-day summit with U.S. President Donald Trump that produced no announced outcome. Neither government has released results from the talks even after the schedule ended. Trump has repeatedly described the meetings as excellent, but the two sides appear, as expected, to have fallen short of any comprehensive deal to patch up their disputes.
Red Carpets for Three Days, but Only "Tremendous" Diplomatic Rhetoric
Trump laid on imperial-style treatment during Xi's visit, including red carpets, artillery salutes and a bomber flyover. When Xi arrived in the United States on the 23rd for his first state visit in 11 years, Trump made the unusual move of greeting him in person at Joint Base Andrews. He arrived early and waited an hour for Xi to land. Xi then walked a 30-meter red carpet rolled out by Trump.
A red carpet was laid again in front of the White House the following day. The program included a military aircraft flyover, an honor guard performance, a demonstration ride on the presidential helicopter Marine One, and a lavish dinner decorated in red, a traditional Chinese color. Xi walked on another U.S.-prepared red carpet on the final day of his visit. The treatment drew complaints and unease from Republicans, who questioned whether Washington was extending excessive honors to a rival competing for global dominance.
The two leaders shook hands and said goodbye in front of the National Archives building shortly after noon Eastern time on the 25th. Trump returned directly to the White House, while Xi headed to Andrews with no other engagements and left the United States aboard an Air China aircraft.
Although the summit schedule has ended, neither government has said anything about what the two leaders discussed. Instead, Trump issued several messages saying the talks went well. On Truth Social, he wrote that his meeting with Xi was very productive for both the United States and China and that tremendous things would happen. In public remarks at a White House tea session, he said, "We made tremendous progress, great progress that is very positive for both countries."
At the National Archives, Trump told reporters, "It was a really great meeting. Great for the farmers and great for everyone." He said he had discussed Iran with Xi and said only that on the Strait of Hormuz, "We are going to do very well."
"Results to Be Announced on the 28th"; Truce Extension and Farm Purchases Seen Likely
U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said on the 23rd that the two countries had agreed to extend their trade war truce, set to expire on Nov. 10, by two months to Jan. 10 next year, and that China would agree to a proposal to set up a hotline for notifying each other of artificial intelligence-related incidents. It remains unclear, however, whether the two leaders made final decisions on those items at the summit. U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said in a broadcast interview that morning that there had been progress and that far more detailed information about what had been achieved in negotiations with China over the past several weeks would be released on Monday, the 28th.
On Iran, U.S. Ambassador to China David Perdue, who sat in on the summit, said in a CNBC interview the same day that Trump had made very clear to Xi that Chinese support for Iran was completely unacceptable.
Against that backdrop, many expect the tangible results of the summit to amount to the two-month truce extension and expanded Chinese purchases of U.S. farm goods. With the two sides finding it difficult to narrow differences across a wide range of core issues amid intense competition for global dominance, the leaders appear to have focused the talks on maintaining a stable relationship built on personal rapport that keeps their conflicts from surfacing.
The two leaders will meet twice more this year. At the tea session that day, Xi invited Trump and the first lady to the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit to be held next month in Shenzhen, China. Shortly after Xi departed, Trump said on social media that he would meet Xi again not only at the APEC summit but also at the Group of 20 summit in Florida in December.
