Trump and Xi Wrap Up Beijing Summit With Promises of “Fantastic Trade Deals”

US President Donald Trump said he had secured “fantastic trade deals” with Chinese leader Xi Jinping as the two wrapped up a high-profile summit in Beijing on Friday aimed at stabilising relations between the world’s two largest economies.

The final round of talks took place at Zhongnanhai, the Chinese leadership compound next to Beijing’s Forbidden City, where Trump joined Xi for tea and lunch before departing for Washington.

“Hopefully our relationship with China will be stronger and better than ever before,” Trump wrote on Truth Social after the meeting, adding that Xi had congratulated him on his recent political and economic successes.

Neither side announced major breakthrough agreements, but Trump claimed progress had been made on trade, particularly in agriculture, aviation and artificial intelligence. Details of the alleged deals were not immediately released.

For Beijing, the summit was presented as a symbolic turning point in relations after years of escalating trade disputes, sanctions and military tensions. Xi reportedly described Trump’s trip as a “milestone visit,” the first state visit to China by a sitting US president since Trump’s previous trip in 2017.

The summit also focused heavily on the growing crisis in the Middle East and the ongoing conflict involving Iran, Israel and the United States. According to the White House, both leaders agreed that the Strait of Hormuz must remain open to guarantee the free flow of global energy supplies. China also reportedly offered to help facilitate negotiations aimed at ending the conflict and restoring shipping access through the strategically vital waterway.

China’s role is seen as especially important because of its economic ties with Tehran and its continued reliance on Iranian oil imports.

Trump additionally said Beijing had reassured Washington that it would not provide military support or weapons to Iran during the conflict.

Despite signs of cooperation, major disagreements remain unresolved — most notably over Taiwan.

Xi reportedly warned that mishandling the issue of Taiwan could trigger confrontation or even military conflict. China continues to view the self-governed island as part of its territory, while Washington maintains security ties and arms commitments to Taipei.

The warning comes after the US approved an $11 billion arms package for Taiwan in December, although deliveries have not yet begun. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio had earlier warned Beijing that any attempt to seize Taiwan by force would be “a terrible mistake.”

Meanwhile, tensions in the Strait of Hormuz remain dangerously high despite the diplomatic efforts.

An anchored vessel off the coast of the United Arab Emirates was reportedly seized and taken toward Iranian waters, while an Indian cargo ship sank near Oman after an attack whose perpetrators remain unclear.

Iran had previously threatened to intercept vessels it considered linked to the United States, while Washington continues to enforce naval pressure around Iranian ports despite a fragile ceasefire that has technically been in place since early April.

Shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz — a route that normally carries roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas — remains heavily disrupted, contributing to global energy market instability.

Although the summit did not produce dramatic headline agreements, both Washington and Beijing appear eager to avoid a further deterioration in relations at a time of mounting geopolitical uncertainty and economic pressure.

For Trump, the visit was an opportunity to project strength on the world stage ahead of domestic political challenges. For Xi, it was a chance to present China as a stabilising global power amid widening international crises.

For the rest of the world — especially Europe and Asian economies dependent on global trade and energy flows — the outcome of the Beijing summit may prove significant far beyond the official statements released this week.