Donald Trump insisted today, on the final day of his state visit to China, that relations between the two global powers are positive and improving. This assertion comes despite significant friction over issues such as Iran and the status of Taiwan. In a social media post, the U.S. President claimed that during their Thursday meeting, Chinese Leader Xi Jinping “congratulated me on so many tremendous successes.”
Trump alleged that when Xi “elegantly referred to the United States as perhaps a declining nation,” the Chinese leader was specifically referring to the administration of his predecessor, Joe Biden. The leaders of the world’s two largest economies are scheduled to meet again today before Trump departs Beijing in the afternoon to return to the United States.
The American President is set to travel around noon to lunch with Xi at Zhongnanhai. This complex, located adjacent to the Forbidden City, serves as the central headquarters for the Communist Party of China and the State Council. Historically associated with high-level diplomatic meetings—and famously home to Mao Zedong—granting entry to foreign leaders is a relatively rare occurrence often interpreted as a sign of significant political and diplomatic proximity.
This state visit, lasting less than 48 hours, is Trump’s second to China overall and his first since returning to the White House in January 2025. On Thursday, Trump told Fox News that Xi Jinping expressed a willingness to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz, which has been under an Iranian blockade for six weeks. “President Xi would like to see a deal. He said, ‘If I can help in any way, I’d be happy to help,'” Trump recounted.
Read more about this topic: Xi-Trump summit: “China will open up even more” (with videos)
China is the primary importer of Iranian oil and a key partner to Tehran. Since the onset of the conflict launched by the U.S. and Israel on February 28, Iran has placed the Strait of Hormuz under military threat, causing global oil prices to skyrocket. Notably, on the day of the Beijing summit, the Iranian news agency Tasnin announced that Iran’s naval forces had begun authorizing the passage of several Chinese ships through the strait.
According to a White House statement, both presidents advocated for the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz to hydrocarbon traffic without tolls and emphasized a nuclear-weapon-free Iran. The statement also indicated that Xi expressed interest in increasing oil purchases from the United States to reduce China’s strategic dependency on imports that must pass through the volatile strait.
However, the meetings were not without stern warnings. Chinese state television reported that Xi Jinping cautioned Trump regarding Washington’s handling of Taiwan. “The Taiwan issue is the most important in Sino-U.S. relations,” Xi stated. He warned that while good management ensures stability, poor handling could lead the two countries to “confront each other,” using a Mandarin term that suggests a high-stakes standoff, though not necessarily immediate military conflict.
