BEIJING (AP) — For three days in China, President Donald Trump was unusually quiet, not speaking to reporters much and even mostly staying off social media. Then he got on his plane home and unloaded.
Trump’s trip was unexpectedly dominated by discussions about Taiwan and the notion that Washington and Beijing could adopt a new framework for managing their complicated relationship.
Chinese President Xi Jinping kicked off the whirlwind visit with a warning: If Washington mishandles its relations with the self-governing island of Taiwan, the U.S. and China could end up clashing or even in open conflict.
Trump did not respond publicly, refraining from mentioning Taiwan while in Beijing. But he suggested aboard Air Force One on his way home that Xi’s staunch opposition might make him rethink a planned U.S. arms sale to Taipei.
Among the other topics of discussion were trade and the U.S. and Israel’s war in Iran, which had been expected to take up most of the attention. Trump spent the trip overtly flattering China’s leader, despite Xi not reciprocating.
And the president did not push back publicly on China’s characterization that he and Xi had agreed to a “constructive” new vision for dealing with their relationship issues.
Here are key takeaways from Trump’s trip:
Trump and Boeing say China agreed to buy 200 aircraft; Trump says other deals are coming
Aircraft manufacturer Boeing will make its first major sale to China in nearly a decade under an agreement for 200 planes announced Friday after President Donald Trump’s summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
The deal represents a breakthrough in the U.S. aerospace company’s efforts to reenter a market once central to its long-term growth.
Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One as he returned from Beijing, Trump said China also reserved the right to buy as many as 750 Boeing aircraft as part of the deal. Boeing confirmed the 200-plane order later Friday but did not specify the types of planes or provide any other details.
“We had a very successful trip to China and accomplished our major goal of reopening the China market to orders for Boeing aircraft,” the company said in a statement, adding that looked forward to “continually addressing China’s aircraft demand.”
Boeing CEO Kelly Ortberg was among a large group of American CEOs who joined Trump during the president’s trip to Beijing, seeking to sell products and services to China.
Trump said the potential aircraft deal also would benefit General Electric, which he said would supply 400 to 450 engines to China. GE Aerospace Chairman and CEO H. Lawrence Culp also joined the president on his trip. The company did not immediately comment on the agreement.
Last month, Ortberg expressed confidence that any broad U.S.-China trade agreement to emerge when Trump and Xi met would be a “meaningful opportunity” for Boeing.
“President Trump has been very focused on supporting us in international campaigns, and he’s been very successful in doing that,” Ortberg told investors.
Since Trump began serving his second term, his administration has made Boeing a focus of its plans to revive U.S. manufacturing.
Trump held his tongue on Taiwan — until he was headed home
Before the trip, Trump demonstrated greater ambivalence toward Taiwan in his second term, raising questions about whether he might be open to dialing back support for the island democracy that Beijing views as its breakaway province.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio insisted there was no change in the U.S. approach to Taiwan. But there was always a risk that Trump — not known for diplomatic nuance — might make an off-the-cuff remark that could have mammoth ramifications for Taiwan.
In the end, Trump said nothing publicly about Taiwan, even as his Chinese counterpart suggested the island was the most important aspect of U.S.-China relations.
But then, pressed by reporters after leaving China, Trump said he had not yet made a decision on whether to carry through with a major arms package sale he previously approved for Taiwan after hearing Xi’s objections.
Trump’s Republican administration in December authorized an $11 billion weapons package for Taipei, but it has yet to move forward. Lawmakers also approved a $14 billion arms sale to Taiwan in January, but the sale cannot advance until Trump formally sends it to Congress.
“President Xi and I talked a lot about Taiwan,” Trump told reporters on the presidential plane. He said China’s leader “does not want to see a fight for independence because that would be a very strong confrontation.”
“I heard him out,” Trump said. But “I didn’t make a comment.”
Trump appeared to struggle to recall the name of Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te and noted of Washington’s policy toward the island, “The last thing we need right now is a war that’s 9,500 miles away.”
Asked if he would consider intervening militarily if China were to attack Taiwan, Trump said he did not want to say — a nonanswer that is consistent with long-standing U.S. policy that has become known as strategic ambiguity.
The policy says the U.S. has agreed to ensure Taiwan has the resources to defend itself if China attempts to force a unilateral change, but it does not expressly say how far Washington will go militarily to counter Beijing, should it come to that.
Trump and Xi still talked about Iran
It appears the leaders had substantive talks about the U.S.-spurred conflict in Iran that has led to a surge in global oil prices and that — if extended — could push the world toward recession.
Trump said Xi agrees with him that a nuclear-armed Iran is a bad idea and that the Strait of Hormuz must be reopened. He said Xi even offered to help find an endgame to the war.
Xi and Chinese officials have not confirmed that such an offer was made. China has publicly said the solution should “take into account the concerns of all parties on the Iran nuclear issue.”
In Trump’s view, China should be more involved in the resolution to the conflict, given its dependence on oil and liquefied natural gas coming from the Middle East.
If Trump successfully persuaded Xi to get more engaged, that could be significant for the U.S. effort to find a credible exit from the Iran war.
Xi hailed a new relationship status: strategic stability
China, meanwhile, said the two leaders agreed to a new vision for “a constructive China-U.S. relationship of strategic stability.”
The Chinese Foreign Ministry said the framework would shape ties for at least three years — the rest of Trump’s term — and focus on cooperation, competition within limits and managing differences.
The idea is “to keep the relationship on an even keel,” said Helena Legarda of the Mercator Institute for China Studies in Berlin.
George Chen, a partner at The Asia Group consultancy, said the approach can be seen as progress following the era of Trump’s Democratic predecessor, Joe Biden, when the relationship was framed as a strategic competition.
Trump repeatedly praised Xi
From the moment Trump opened his mouth in Beijing, he offered nothing but praise for Xi. And it sometimes felt a bit over the top, considering that Xi said nothing similar in return.
Trump called Xi a “great leader” and said they were going to have a “fantastic future together.”
It was an “honor” to be with Xi and to be his friend, Trump said, describing his counterpart as “warm.”
China’s president isn’t known for effusiveness. Trump himself said in a Fox News interview that Xi is “all business.”
Xi did say Trump’s “landmark visit” had deepened mutual trust. But he found more subtle ways to charm Trump. He promised to send seeds to grow roses at the White House like the ones in the garden at Xi’s residence where Trump had tea on Friday.
Xi said he hosted Trump there to reciprocate the hospitality Trump showed him when he visited Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida in 2017.
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Leung reported from Hong Kong, Mistreanu and Wu from Bangkok, and Superville from Washington.