U.S. President Donald Trump, who returned to Beijing on Friday (local time) for the first time in nine years, appeared markedly different from his past self. His summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping fell short of public expectations for a "deal of the century." In contrast to his previously exuberant demeanor, Trump maintained a restrained tone, with none of the off-script remarks or tangents often seen in his speeches.
Amid a pile of complex international issues including trade negotiations, the Iran war and the Taiwan question, the two leaders held no joint press conference — unlike nine years ago — and instead announced the outcome through brief separate statements. China released its statement through state broadcasters, while Trump and his cabinet secretaries repeatedly conveyed the U.S. position through media interviews.
Taking the stage at the world's most-watched bilateral diplomatic event, the two leaders exchanged pleasantries such as "wonderful" and "we should be partners," projecting a superficially friendly tone. Even so, no notable agreement emerged by the end of the day. While the backlog of intractable issues was one reason, the outcome also reflected the changed standing of the two leaders compared with the November 2017 Beijing summit during Trump's first term.
For Trump, drawing his desired outcome may have proven disconcerting in the face of a changed China — one now seeking to ascend as the "Big Two" sharing global hegemony with the United States — compared with nine years ago when he walked away with a pile of "gifts" from Xi. Ahead of the summit, China had notified the U.S. of five guidelines listing topics that should not be raised. In particular, analysts argue that Trump, whose domestic and international footing has narrowed with midterm elections approaching amid the prolonged Iran war and blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, would have found it difficult to wrest the initiative from Xi, who holds the key in negotiations with Iran.
Scenes illustrating the reversed positions of the two leaders and China's elevated standing emerged repeatedly inside and outside the summit venue. From the handshake onward, Xi gripped Trump's hand as if pressing down from above, while Trump responded by pulling it toward himself or patting it. U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent was blocked by security as he tried to enter the meeting room for not wearing his badge, and at Tiantan Park, the White House press pool and security personnel clashed. For a state visit, tense moments surfaced at various points.
Chinese state news agency Xinhua reported Xi as saying at the summit, "I have agreed with President Trump to position the building of a 'constructive and strategically stable China-U.S. relationship' as the new status of China-U.S. relations." This is interpreted in the same context. The concept of a "constructive and strategically stable China-U.S. relationship," which Xi introduced for the first time, is seen as adding to China's existing diplomatic line toward the U.S. — peaceful coexistence and conflict management — a clear projection of its will to compete on equal footing with the United States. Xi's reference in his opening remarks to the "Thucydides Trap," which refers to armed conflict arising from hegemonic competition, falls along the same lines.
Particularly symbolic was Xi's unusually sharp rhetoric on the Taiwan issue, the biggest agenda item and point of conflict in the U.S.-China summit. "The Taiwan issue is the most important issue in China-U.S. relations," he said. "If handled well, the relationship between the two countries can maintain overall stability. If mishandled, the two countries will collide or even clash, pushing the entire China-U.S. relationship into a very dangerous situation." The remarks were widely read as effectively a warning.
By contrast, Trump avoided answering — unlike his usual self — when reporters asked during a post-summit walk whether the Taiwan issue had been discussed, a scene seen as a stark contrast to Xi's offensive posture. Trump was reportedly "unresponsive" on the Taiwan agenda even in closed-door talks.
The Washington Post, citing an unnamed White House official, reported that "at the summit, Trump did not react to Xi's remarks on Taiwan and moved on to the next agenda item without acknowledging it." The Post also noted, "The world has not stood still in the meantime. China has become far more powerful than it was then," adding that "the two leaders showed no sign before the summit of wanting to shake up the existing order."
Neither side's statement contained concrete progress suggesting the two had moved closer to common ground on trade negotiations. Only boilerplate positions such as "cooperation" or "support" were repeated. This stands in contrast to nine years ago, when China unveiled a $250 billion "gift package" (about 200 trillion won at the time's exchange rate) to coincide with Trump's visit. It also differs sharply from Trump's own bravado before boarding Air Force One for Beijing, when he declared on Truth Social that he would "demand opening" from China.
On global issues that had drawn intense attention — including Middle East tensions, the Ukraine war and the North Korean nuclear program — the summit produced no substantive outcomes. Trump's securing of China's in-principle agreement on the Iran war, the Strait of Hormuz and energy imports was cited as virtually the only achievement on the second day of his Beijing visit.
Julian Gewirtz, a former National Security Council (NSC) official under the Biden administration, told the Post, "Xi gave Trump the 'TV-ready spectacle' he was looking for," adding, "Through this, he is trying to slow the escalation of economic tensions and buy time to build China's power."
The state dinner, which began at 6 p.m., ended after about three hours. The menu, which previously had centered on the sweet and strongly flavored dishes Trump favored, this time featured restrained fare that stayed faithful to the "basics" — lobster and Peking duck served with a mix of Chinese and Western styles. As the chef had said, "A meal is an extension of negotiations," and Trump showed respect toward Xi by even savoring wine, which he normally never drinks. It was a moment that laid bare the confidence of Xi, who has risen to lead one of the "Group of Two (G2)" powers.
