Trump-Xi Meeting Ends Without Major Economic Breakthrough

International media reported that the meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping, despite its focus on bilateral relations, produced no significant economic gains for Washington or Beijing.

Bloomberg wrote that no new agreement was announced at the meeting on lowering tariffs between the two countries, and no new channel of communication was established on artificial intelligence. At the same time, a drop in Chinese shares on the Hong Kong stock exchange showed that markets did not view the meeting as a sign of major economic progress.

This comes as economic and strategic differences between the two countries remain unresolved. Bloomberg wrote that competition between Washington and Beijing in artificial intelligence, rare metals and tariffs has intensified, and the two sides also disagree on a number of international issues.

Despite the tense atmosphere, Trump praised his “deep friendship” with Xi during the Chinese president’s official visit to the United States and held an extensive welcoming ceremony for him. As Xi arrived at Andrews Air Force Base near Washington, Trump greeted him, presented him with an eagle statue and accompanied him by presidential helicopter.

Xi, for his part, focused more on managing differences and cooperation in some areas. He called for stronger cooperation so that artificial intelligence remains “under human control,” and said China welcomes American companies willing to invest in the country and expects Chinese companies to be treated fairly in the United States.

The Chinese president also announced that 100,000 young Americans would be invited to China to take part in student exchange programs, a move that points to Beijing’s desire to ease tensions in relations with Washington.

Ryan Hass, a Brookings Institution researcher, told Agence France-Presse that “the spectacle of ceremony was the main purpose of this meeting.” According to him, if the ceremonial programmes and military displays are set aside, the time spent in face-to-face talks between the two sides is less than two hours.

In his meeting with Trump in the Oval Office of the White House, Xi asked him to exercise caution on the issue of Taiwan’s independence. According to a Chinese statement, he also reiterated the call to end the war and to reach a negotiated solution with Tehran as soon as possible.

Meanwhile, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Washington and Beijing had agreed to extend the trade truce between the two countries for another two months. The truce was due to expire in November and had previously been accompanied by lower U.S. tariffs on Chinese goods and the lifting of China’s export restrictions on rare metals.

Even so, the visit did not lead to any new commitment from China to buy more American goods, including Boeing aircraft or agricultural products. According to data from the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, U.S. merchandise exports to China reached $106 billion in 2025, while imports from China stood at $308.7 billion — a gap that remains one of the main sources of trade tension between the world’s two largest economies.