Trump leaves China with announcements of "fantastic deals" but without specifics

BarcelonaDonald Trump has bid farewell this Friday to China and Xi Jinping with apparent satisfaction and grandiloquent words, but with few concrete announcements. He has described the visit as "very successful," "unforgettable," "historic," and "emblematic." And he has assured that the leaders of the two main world powers have reached "a series of important consensuses." "We have closed some fantastic trade deals, good for both countries," stated the President of the United States, seated next to his Chinese counterpart in the Zhongnanhai complex, an ancient imperial garden that houses the offices of Chinese leaders.

Throughout the official trip, the two leaders have exhibited good rapport and exchanged pleasantries, although the Chinese president has also made his red lines clear, particularly concerning Taiwan. "We have resolved many different problems that other people could not have resolved," Trump emphasized.

Xi has also considered it a "historic and transcendental" visit and has assured that they have established "a new positioning for the constructive and stable strategic relationship" between their countries. "President Trump expects to make the United States great again, and I am committed to leading the Chinese people to achieve the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation," he said, alluding to the Republican president's slogan. The Chinese president also stated that both countries should implement the "important consensus" they have achieved.

For now, however, the agreements they have reached have not been officially made public, but Trump has shared some details in an interview with Fox. He explained, for example, that China has agreed to buy 200 airplanes from the American company Boeing.

American officials have explained that they have also reached agreements to sell agricultural products, beef, and energy to China. According to Reuters, they also want to advance in establishing a trade mechanism to reduce tariffs on non-sensitive goods, meaning products that do not pose national security risks.

One of the keys will be to know if Trump and Xi have reached any agreement regarding the trade war, currently in a truce since October, when the two leaders agreed to suspend tariffs, which had reached three digits.

Xi's silence on Iran

The war in the Middle East was one of the big topics that loomed over the official trip. In fact, Trump had to postpone it, as it was initially planned for early April. The US president has strived to try to convey that both leaders are in sync on this issue and has said their opinions are "very similar." "We've talked about Iran. We think very similar things about how we want it to end. We don't want them to have a nuclear weapon. We want the strait to be open," Trump summarized, sitting next to Xi. In the interview with Fox, Trump also said that Xi has promised not to send military equipment to Iran.

But the Chinese president has remained silent on the issue. And before the closing meeting between the two leaders, the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs released a critical statement: "This conflict, which should never have happened, has no reason to continue," it states, adding that China supports efforts to reach a peace agreement in a war that has severely affected energy supply and the global economy.