Xi leaves the US – without clear outcomes

 

TT-AFP

 

Published 04:03 | Updated 08:45

 

Donald Trump and Xi Jinping held talks behind closed doors for an hour and a half. They do not appear to have reached any concrete agreements, though outwardly they spoke of a budding friendship. Photo: Jacquelyn Martin/AP/TT

Donald Trump and Xi Jinping met and professed both friendship and a willingness to cooperate—but the two world leaders offered no new announcements regarding the many disputes dividing the major powers.

"We have built a friendship, a truly strong friendship," Trump said.

The presidents' meeting in the US was marked by pomp and ceremony, yet no diplomatic breakthroughs were announced. Opportunities for the media to ask questions were also limited, particularly after the Trump administration attempted to exclude several major news outlets.

Trump and Xi held a closed-door meeting lasting an hour and a half on Thursday. There has been no account from the US side regarding what was discussed. China's Foreign Ministry stated that the two leaders affirmed a strong friendship between themselves and the nations they represent.

Trade truce postponed

A resolution to the trade war between the US and China is being pushed into the future. A temporary pause has been extended until January 10.

China highlights Taiwan as an outstanding issue, urging the US to adopt the "correct" stance on the matter and to oppose Taiwanese independence. According to China, they also discussed "major international and regional issues," such as the wars in the Middle East and Ukraine and the situation on the Korean Peninsula. There are reports and allegations that China is supporting both Iran and Russia in various ways, albeit sometimes indirectly.

Donald Trump gave Xi Jinping a tour of the White House. Among other things, they inspected a newly built helipad and a helicopter. With the US approaching its 250th anniversary, Trump also showed him historical documents related to the country's declaration of independence as a democracy.

On-site propaganda

On Thursday evening, a lavish banquet was held, attended by a host of powerful tech leaders—including Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg, Jensen Huang, Sam Altman, and Tim Cook. However, no concrete announcements were made regarding the rapid pace of AI development, competition, or regulation.

US media outlets, such as *The New York Times*, point out that while President Trump frequently raises loud alarms about a communist threat, he nonetheless rolls out the red carpet for a Chinese dictator—and seeks to ban domestic TV giants while granting full accreditation to China’s state-controlled propaganda outlets.

The decision to bar CNN, MSNBC, and Politico was overturned in court, yet uncertainty remains, and other media outlets have announced a boycott in solidarity.