‘Successful, historic’ visit, but Great Wall of China still intact

BEIJING PARLEYS | Trump’s summit with Xi full of pomp and pageantry, but no major breakthroughs on trade or tangible help to end conflict in West Asia 

Beijing: Chinese President Xi Jinping and his US counterpart Donald Trump on Friday hailed their talks as “historic” and “landmark”, although the American leader left China with no major breakthroughs on trade or tangible help from Beijing to end the Iran war, despite two days spent heaping praise on his host.

Trump and Xi concluded their discussions with a private meeting at Zhongnanhai, the well-guarded compound in Beijing where top leaders reside. They walked and talked at the well-curated compound, occasionally stopping to admire the trees and flowers in the garden. Trump described the trip as “very successful, world-renowned, and unforgettab­le,” according to the Chinese account. Calling Xi “an old friend of mine,” the US president said he had “great respect” for his Chinese counterpart and expressed a willingness to maintain “sincere and in-depth communication”. Trump said he looked forward to welcoming Xi to the White House. 

Xi said Trump’s was a “historic” and “landmark” visit and they had set a “new vision” of building a constructive China-US relationship of strategic stability. “We had reached important common understandings on maintaining stable economic and trade ties, expanding cooperation in various fields, and properly addressing each other’s concerns.”

The summit was filled with pageantry, from goose-stepping soldiers to tours of a secret garden, but behind closed doors Xi issued a stark warning to Trump that any mishandling of China’s top concern, Taiwan, could spiral into conflict. “It’s been an incredible visit. A lot of good has come of it,” Trump told Xi at their final meeting at the Zhongnanhai complex, before their lunch of lobster balls and Kung Pao chicken.

Xi described the relations as “constructive strategic stability”, a sharp departure from the framing of “strategic competition” used by former US President Joe Biden which Beijing disliked. “While President Trump hopes to make America great again, I am dedicated to leading the Chinese people towards national rejuvenation,” Xi said, emphasising the two nations can advance their respective development and revitalisation by strengthening cooperation, official media reported.

China and the US should implement the important common understandings that have been reached, cherish the hard-won positive mom­e­n­tum, keep to the right direction, steer clear of disruptions, he said. Xi said the leaders had established “a new positioning for the constructive, strategic and stable ties” between the world’s two economies. A statement said Trump invited Xi and his wife to the White House on Sept 24, as they agreed the Hormuz strait must remain open. 

When Prez Xi very elegantly referred to the US as perhaps being a declining nation, he was referring to the tremendous damage we suffered during the four years of sleepy Joe Biden and the Biden admin, and on that score, he was 100% correct.

—Trump

No call on Taiwan arms

Trump said he’s not yet made a determination on whether a major US sale of arms to Taiwan can move forward. Speaking to reporters as he flew back on Air Force One on Friday, Trump said he “will make a determination” after speaking to “the person that right now is... running Taiwan.” Trump said Xi told him he opposed Taiwan’s independence. “I heard him out. I didn’t make a comment... I made no commitment either way,” said the US president.

Iran finished, must seal deal

Trump said Iran is “finished” and must either negotiate a deal to end the ongoing conflict or face destruction. “Deal or annihilation for Iran,” Trump stated during an interview with Fox News on the final day of his three-day trip to China. He emphasised the US cannot “let Iran have a nuclear weapon.” “President Xi would like to see a deal between the US and Iran,” he said, expressing his belief that China also does not want Iran to possess nuclear weapons.

200-jet order for Boeing

Aircraft manufacturer Boeing will make its first major sale to China in nearly a decade with an order for 200 planes, Trump said, a deal he said had been made during his summit with China's Xi and that could grow to as many as 750 planes. Trump also said the deal would benefit General Electric, which he said would supply 400 to 450 engines.

Local dishes for Nvidia CEO

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang was spotted at No. 69 Fangzhuanchang Noo­dl­es, for a bowl of “zhajiangmian” — a Beijing specialty that features noo­dles covered in a thick soybean-paste sauce mixed with veggies and meat. “It's so good,” he said, standing in front of the restaurant entrance. But the “douzhi'er,” a fermented soybean drink, made him wince.