President Donald Trump has left China after a two-day state visit to Beijing, where he held extensive talks with President Xi Jinping. Despite the diplomatic fanfare, including a ceremonial welcome at the Great Hall of the People, a visit to an ancient temple, and a lavish state dinner, the summit produced no concrete agreements on the most pressing issues between the two powers.
The two leaders failed to reach a breakthrough on forging a U.S. peace deal with Iran or on reopening traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, which has been disrupted since the conflict began in February. On the flight back from China, Trump told reporters he has not yet decided whether to move forward with a new $14 billion arms package for Taiwan.
During their talks, Xi warned Trump that differences over Taiwan could lead to direct conflict between China and the United States. The summit did produce one notable moment when Trump said Xi had become really a friend and that they felt similarly about the war in the Middle East. The two sides agreed that the Strait of Hormuz must remain open to support the free flow of energy.
The visit has gone some way toward strengthening a fragile trade truce reached in October, according to analysts. Beijing appears to be trying to turn Trump's transactional willingness to stabilize ties into a longer-term operating framework for U.S.-China relations. Trump invited Xi to visit the United States in September, and plans for another meeting this fall were announced.
Oil prices rose after Trump told Fox News that China agreed to buy U.S. oil and would help with Iran negotiations. However, neither side has released details on specific agreements, leaving observers to wonder whether the diplomatic theater will translate into lasting policy changes.