{"id":1173,"date":"2026-05-16T12:41:24","date_gmt":"2026-05-16T12:41:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/usglobalnews.com\/?p=1173"},"modified":"2026-05-16T12:41:24","modified_gmt":"2026-05-16T12:41:24","slug":"pomp-pageantry-but-precious-little-to-show-for-trumps-beijing-excursion","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/usglobalnews.com\/?p=1173","title":{"rendered":"Pomp, pageantry but precious little to show for Trump\u2019s Beijing excursion"},"content":{"rendered":"<div style=\"border-color:var(--article-border)\" class=\"dcr-wqti5a\">\n<div class=\"dcr-1fw0voq\">\n<div style=\"--grid-area:media\" data-gu-name=\"media\" class=\"dcr-1fnjjtg\">\n<div class=\"dcr-1j5hrwi\">\n<div class=\"dcr-tr9ye5\">\n<figure id=\"4b04b5e7-7b0f-4418-8fad-88f052aca25f\" class=\"dcr-142siv7\">\n<div id=\"img-1\" class=\"dcr-1t8m8f2\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"two men walk across a stage featuring a line of US and Chinese flags\" src=\"https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/1a777377215fd169caee5c9a7a8663f30e8870e0\/418_0_4164_3333\/master\/4164.jpg?width=465&amp;dpr=1&amp;s=none&amp;crop=none\" width=\"465\" height=\"372.20100864553314\" loading=\"eager\" class=\"dcr-evn1e9\"><span class=\"dcr-v822l1\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"dcr-gup2gr\">\n<div class=\"dcr-fntg6k\"><label for=\"the-checkbox\" class=\"dcr-1xgwz8b\"><\/label> <\/p>\n<div id=\"the-caption\"><figcaption data-spacefinder-role=\"inline\" class=\"dcr-1os51wo\"><span class=\"dcr-hvsf4t\"><\/span><span class=\"dcr-1qvd3m6\">Xi Jinping, right, and Donald Trump meet at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on Thursday.<\/span> Photograph: Kenny Holston\/AP<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/span><a href=\"#img-1\" data-ignore=\"global-link-styling\" class=\"open-lightbox dcr-13fd1ms\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><button data-element-id=\"4b04b5e7-7b0f-4418-8fad-88f052aca25f\" type=\"button\" class=\"open-lightbox dcr-4tmywn\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\"><span class=\"dcr-194i6pr\">View image in fullscreen<\/span><\/button><\/a><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"dcr-n4pnam\"><figcaption data-spacefinder-role=\"inline\" class=\"dcr-1hdkqum\"><span class=\"dcr-hvsf4t\"><\/span><span class=\"dcr-1qvd3m6\">Xi Jinping, right, and Donald Trump meet at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on Thursday.<\/span> Photograph: Kenny Holston\/AP<\/figcaption><\/span><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"--grid-area:border\" data-gu-name=\"border\" class=\"dcr-1fnjjtg\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"--grid-area:headline\" data-gu-name=\"headline\" class=\"dcr-1fnjjtg\">\n<div class=\"dcr-14emo0l\">\n<div class=\"dcr-1aqe7zu\">\n<h1 class=\"dcr-1k1a1x\">Pomp, pageantry but precious little to show for Trump\u2019s Beijing excursion<\/h1>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"--grid-area:standfirst\" data-gu-name=\"standfirst\" class=\"dcr-1fnjjtg\">\n<div class=\"dcr-cj4vxp\">\n<p>No swift end to the Iran war, uncertainty over Taiwan and only vague outlines of commercial deals \u2026 but the US president did get to bask in the company of Xi Jinping<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"--grid-area:body\" data-gu-name=\"body\" class=\"dcr-kn9unn\">\n<div class=\"dcr-1a4fred\">\n<div id=\"maincontent\" class=\"dcr-ydnaza\">\n<div class=\"article-body-commercial-selector article-body-viewer-selector dcr-1c9t5u6\">\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\"><span style=\"color:var(--drop-cap);font-weight:500\" class=\"dcr-15rw6c2\">I<\/span>t was historic, to be sure, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/us-news\/2026\/may\/15\/what-was-achieved-trump-xi-summit-beijing\" data-link-name=\"in body link\">but not as anyone had predicted<\/a>. First there was <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/us-news\/donaldtrump\" data-link-name=\"in body link\">Donald Trump<\/a>, a self-declared teetotaler, apparently drinking champagne after Xi Jinping assured him that China\u2019s \u201cgreat rejuvenation\u201d could go hand in hand with \u201cMake America great again\u201d. Then there was a Chinese military band playing a rendition of the US president\u2019s signature campaign song, YMCA.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">Beneath giant chandeliers, blue and gold balconies and a big orange backdrop with pagoda-style roofs, Thursday\u2019s state banquet in Beijing featured characters whose presence would have been unthinkable here a decade ago: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/technology\/elon-musk\" data-link-name=\"in body link\">Elon Musk<\/a>, the eccentric tech billionaire, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/us-news\/pete-hegseth\" data-link-name=\"in body link\">Pete Hegseth<\/a>, the Fox News host turned \u201csecretary of war\u201d, and of course Trump himself, a former reality TV star now leading the world\u2019s biggest superpower.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">As the guests dug into a quirky menu that included lobster in tomato soup, crispy beef ribs, Beijing roast duck and slow-cooked salmon in mustard sauce, the mood was convivial after the first day of a summit that had offered cosy choreography and the promise of stability in the world\u2019s most important bilateral relationship.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"b9820286-5771-4396-95aa-378fe21afe3c\" data-spacefinder-role=\"richLink\" data-spacefinder-type=\"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.RichLinkBlockElement\" class=\"dcr-47fhrn\">\n<div data-print-layout=\"hide\" data-link-name=\"rich-link-3 | 3\" data-component=\"rich-link\" data-name=\"placeholder\" class=\"dcr-1kyw41h\">\n<div data-format-theme=\"5\" data-format-design=\"0\" data-format-display=\"0\" class=\"dcr-1bg5532\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/commentisfree\/2026\/may\/15\/the-guardian-view-on-trump-in-beijing-the-us-and-china-are-playing-the-waiting-game\" class=\"dcr-1m887w9\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"dcr-ut4tvs\">\n<div class=\"dcr-1h5b6rb\">\n<div class=\"dcr-169d7yv\">The Guardian view on Trump in Beijing: the US and China are playing the waiting game | Editorial<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"dcr-eurq8n\">\n<div class=\"dcr-fkf7vq\">Read more<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">But by the time Trump and his entourage boarded Air Force One on Friday, the generous helpings of food might not have been enough to stave off an empty feeling. He came, he saw, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/2026\/may\/15\/trump-china-visit-iran-agreement-xi-jinping-elusive\" data-link-name=\"in body link\">he left without much to show for it<\/a>: no swift end to the war in Iran, no definitive answer on the fate of Taiwan and only the vague outlines of corporate mega-deals. Underwhelmed observers suggested that the summit failed to live up to the hype.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">\u201cIt was heavier on symbolism than it was on substance,\u201d Rush Doshi, director of the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/china\" data-link-name=\"in body link\" data-component=\"auto-linked-tag\">China<\/a> Strategy Initiative at the Council on Foreign Relations thinktank in Washington, told reporters. \u201cThere was a focus on managing problems, not on solving the problems that exist between the US and China \u2026 A lot of pomp, a lot of pageantry, a lot of symbolism but not a lot of substance or deliverables.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure id=\"e736ef43-8716-426f-9e4d-16bf2a821680\" data-spacefinder-role=\"inline\" data-spacefinder-type=\"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.ImageBlockElement\" class=\"dcr-173mewl\">\n<div id=\"img-2\" class=\"dcr-1t8m8f2\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"a man in a suit raises a glass\" src=\"https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/88fa3b80d5e97f283107c56d7c60245a3912cbd1\/0_0_4186_2791\/master\/4186.jpg?width=445&amp;dpr=1&amp;s=none&amp;crop=none\" width=\"445\" height=\"296.70210224558053\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"dcr-evn1e9\"><a href=\"#img-2\" data-ignore=\"global-link-styling\" class=\"open-lightbox dcr-13fd1ms\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><button data-element-id=\"e736ef43-8716-426f-9e4d-16bf2a821680\" type=\"button\" class=\"open-lightbox dcr-4tmywn\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\"><span class=\"dcr-194i6pr\">View image in fullscreen<\/span><\/button><\/a><\/div><figcaption data-spacefinder-role=\"inline\" class=\"dcr-fd61eq\"><span class=\"dcr-1inf02i\"><\/span><span class=\"dcr-1qvd3m6\">Donald Trump raises a glass of champagne as he speaks at a state banquet at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on Thursday.<\/span> Photograph: Evan Vucci\/Reuters<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">The Beijing that greeted Trump is oozing self-confidence. Commuters cram into smooth-running subway trains and find just enough room to scroll through slick social media apps. Designer labels from around the world populate luxury shopping malls. The magnificent National Centre for the Performing Arts rests like a titanium and glass boiled egg in an artificial lake. The National Museum on Tiananmen Square shows off the latest advances in green energy, robotics and space exploration and proclaims: \u201cForging the path to national strength.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">America, meanwhile, is plagued by self-doubt over its internal divisions and external misadventures. Sensing a potential shift in the balance of power, Xi urged the two nations to avoid the \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/live\/2026\/05\/14\/world\/trump-xi-summit-beijing#trump-xi-thucydides-trap-us-china\" data-link-name=\"in body link\">Thucydides Trap<\/a>\u201d, the historical concept that an established power tends to be threatened by a rising one, leading to an inevitable clash.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">The summit, held partly in the ornate surroundings of Zhongnanhai \u2013 the secretive Communist party leadership compound often likened to a Chinese Kremlin or White House \u2013 unfolded with pageantry and fanfare.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">Xi personally escorted the US president through manicured gardens filled with centuries-old trees and Chinese roses. Trump marvelled at them as \u201cthe most beautiful roses anyone has ever seen\u201d, prompting Xi to promise he would send him seeds.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">Beijing appeared determined to flatter a president known to value personal diplomacy and spectacle. Trump responded in kind, repeatedly praising Xi as \u201call business\u201d but also \u201ca warm person\u201d, adding: \u201cWe\u2019ve settled a lot of different problems that other people wouldn\u2019t have been able to settle.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure id=\"f0e6fa8a-8788-40f0-8d0c-67f1d156dc97\" data-spacefinder-role=\"inline\" data-spacefinder-type=\"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.ImageBlockElement\" class=\"dcr-173mewl\">\n<div id=\"img-3\" class=\"dcr-1t8m8f2\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"two men in suits gesticulate in a garden\" src=\"https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/4b6f636fb92157ff3c07221818b0d817d308ef4d\/0_0_2915_1944\/master\/2915.jpg?width=445&amp;dpr=1&amp;s=none&amp;crop=none\" width=\"445\" height=\"296.7684391080618\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"dcr-evn1e9\"><a href=\"#img-3\" data-ignore=\"global-link-styling\" class=\"open-lightbox dcr-13fd1ms\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><button data-element-id=\"f0e6fa8a-8788-40f0-8d0c-67f1d156dc97\" type=\"button\" class=\"open-lightbox dcr-4tmywn\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\"><span class=\"dcr-194i6pr\">View image in fullscreen<\/span><\/button><\/a><\/div><figcaption data-spacefinder-role=\"inline\" class=\"dcr-fd61eq\"><span class=\"dcr-1inf02i\"><\/span><span class=\"dcr-1qvd3m6\">Xi and Trump talk at the Zhongnanhai leadership compound in Beijing on Friday.<\/span> Photograph: Mark Schiefelbein\/Reuters<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">The Chinese leader described the visit as \u201chistoric\u201d, saying the two countries had agreed on \u201ca constructive, strategic and stable <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/china\" data-link-name=\"in body link\">China<\/a>-US relationship\u201d. Chinese officials suggested the framework could guide relations for the remainder of Trump\u2019s presidency.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">George Chen, a partner at the consultancy The Asia Group, told the Associated Press that the summit resembled \u201ca political reality show at times\u201d but both sides had achieved something important by simply restoring direct leader-to-leader rapport after months of escalating tensions.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">Chen added: \u201cThe readouts from Beijing and the White House differ in tone and emphasis but neither side contradicted the other\u2019s account. That alone reflects a rare moment of mutual respect.\u201d<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"clashes-and-even-conflicts\" class=\"dcr-12ibh7f\">\u2018Clashes and even conflicts\u2019<\/h2>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">Still, the disagreements were profound. Nothing loomed larger over the talks than <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/taiwan\" data-link-name=\"in body link\" data-component=\"auto-linked-tag\">Taiwan<\/a>, the democratic island claimed by Beijing as Chinese territory and viewed by many analysts as the most likely trigger for a US-China war.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">Xi used the summit to warn Trump in unusually stark terms that mishandling <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/2026\/may\/14\/taiwan-trump-silence-xi-meeting-best-outcome\" data-link-name=\"in body link\">Taiwan<\/a> could propel China and the US towards \u201cclashes and even conflicts\u201d.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">Trump later claimed that \u200bXi asked directly whether the US would \u200bdefend Taiwan if China attacked the island but Trump declined \u2060to answer. \u201cThere\u2019s only one person that knows that, and it is me,\u201d he told reporters later. \u201cI\u2019m the only person.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">For decades, the US adopted a policy of \u201cstrategic ambiguity\u201d towards Taiwan but then president <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/us-news\/joebiden\" data-link-name=\"in body link\">Joe Biden<\/a> was explicit in saying he would use military force to defend the island. China, meanwhile, has sharply intensified military pressure on Taiwan in recent years and has never renounced the use of force to seize the island.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"af10d659-b42d-402b-b108-38aede845281\" data-spacefinder-role=\"inline\" data-spacefinder-type=\"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.ImageBlockElement\" class=\"dcr-173mewl\">\n<div id=\"img-4\" class=\"dcr-1t8m8f2\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"two men in suits walk alongside a boy\" src=\"https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/f985dfc9208d78b190f89656e9db2ab7ca7172f2\/0_0_4430_2953\/master\/4430.jpg?width=445&amp;dpr=1&amp;s=none&amp;crop=none\" width=\"445\" height=\"296.6331828442438\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"dcr-evn1e9\"><a href=\"#img-4\" data-ignore=\"global-link-styling\" class=\"open-lightbox dcr-13fd1ms\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><button data-element-id=\"af10d659-b42d-402b-b108-38aede845281\" type=\"button\" class=\"open-lightbox dcr-4tmywn\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\"><span class=\"dcr-194i6pr\">View image in fullscreen<\/span><\/button><\/a><\/div><figcaption data-spacefinder-role=\"inline\" class=\"dcr-fd61eq\"><span class=\"dcr-1inf02i\"><\/span><span class=\"dcr-1qvd3m6\">Elon Musk and his son X \u00c6 A-Xii walk on as the Chinese premier, Li Qiang, meets with American CEOs in Beijing on Thursday.<\/span> Photograph: Go Nakamura\/AP<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">Ahead of the summit, Trump had hinted he might reconsider a massive <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/2022\/sep\/03\/us-announces-11bn-arms-sale-to-taiwan-angering-china\" data-link-name=\"in body link\">$11bn weapons package<\/a> for Taiwan approved last year by his administration. The sales have not yet been implemented and Beijing has made clear it views them as a core test of US intentions.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">Speaking onboard Air Force One on Friday, Trump said only that he would make a decision \u201cover the next fairly short period of time\u201d.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">That vagueness is likely to alarm officials in Taipei, who have watched Trump\u2019s rhetoric on Taiwan with increasing nervousness. He has repeatedly complained that Taiwan \u201cstole\u201d America\u2019s semiconductor industry and demanded the island pay more for its own defence.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">If Taiwan represented the long-term strategic danger, Iran dominated the immediate agenda. China remains Iran\u2019s biggest oil customer. Trump emerged from his meetings with Xi insisting that China and the US were broadly aligned over the conflict, now in its 11th week after US and Israeli strikes on Iran on 28 February.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"cf549487-fa13-4b05-a800-447d602a6920\" data-spacefinder-role=\"inline\" data-spacefinder-type=\"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.ImageBlockElement\" class=\"dcr-173mewl\">\n<div id=\"img-5\" class=\"dcr-1t8m8f2\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"a person in a woolly hat reads a newspaper displayed on a wall\" src=\"https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/8d0d266fd55ce8bf9fa004c54df3e6f994fa401d\/0_0_5927_3951\/master\/5927.jpg?width=445&amp;dpr=1&amp;s=none&amp;crop=none\" width=\"445\" height=\"296.64163995275857\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"dcr-evn1e9\"><a href=\"#img-5\" data-ignore=\"global-link-styling\" class=\"open-lightbox dcr-13fd1ms\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><button data-element-id=\"cf549487-fa13-4b05-a800-447d602a6920\" type=\"button\" class=\"open-lightbox dcr-4tmywn\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\"><span class=\"dcr-194i6pr\">View image in fullscreen<\/span><\/button><\/a><\/div><figcaption data-spacefinder-role=\"inline\" class=\"dcr-fd61eq\"><span class=\"dcr-1inf02i\"><\/span><span class=\"dcr-1qvd3m6\">A person reads a local newspaper reporting on Trump\u2019s meeting with Xi in Beijing on Friday.<\/span> Photograph: Jessica Lee\/EPA<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">\u201cWe don\u2019t want them to have a nuclear weapon,\u201d Trump said beside Xi. \u201cWe want the straits open.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">The strait of Hormuz \u2013 through which roughly one-fifth of the world\u2019s oil previously flowed \u2013 has been effectively closed since the outbreak of the war. The resulting disruption has sent oil prices surging towards $109 a barrel and raised fears of a global recession. Rising gas prices in the US have also dragged Trump\u2019s approval rating to an all-time low.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">Trump claimed Xi had agreed that Tehran must reopen the waterway and had promised China would not supply Iran with military equipment. \u201cThat\u2019s a big statement,\u201d Trump said later in a Fox News interview.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">Beijing\u2019s own public statements were more restrained. China\u2019s foreign ministry bluntly declared that the conflict \u201cshould never have happened\u201d and called for shipping routes to reopen but stopped short of endorsing Trump\u2019s approach.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"05aa9be6-9012-4d60-98ab-48bdfcf39da3\" data-spacefinder-role=\"supporting\" data-spacefinder-type=\"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.ImageBlockElement\" class=\"dcr-a2pvoh\">\n<div id=\"img-6\" class=\"dcr-1t8m8f2\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"a man in a suit stands awkwardly\" src=\"https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/118494ea46e291e371b7a4015b5df3a8af9d50af\/0_0_3061_4592\/master\/3061.jpg?width=445&amp;dpr=1&amp;s=none&amp;crop=none\" width=\"445\" height=\"667.5726886638354\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"dcr-evn1e9\"><a href=\"#img-6\" data-ignore=\"global-link-styling\" class=\"open-lightbox dcr-13fd1ms\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><button data-element-id=\"05aa9be6-9012-4d60-98ab-48bdfcf39da3\" type=\"button\" class=\"open-lightbox dcr-1sv232j\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\"><span class=\"dcr-194i6pr\">View image in fullscreen<\/span><\/button><\/a><\/div><figcaption data-spacefinder-role=\"inline\" class=\"dcr-9ktzqp\"><span class=\"dcr-1inf02i\"><\/span><span class=\"dcr-1qvd3m6\">Trump stands after his speech at a state dinner with Xi at the Great Hall of the People on Thursday.<\/span> Photograph: Mark Schiefelbein\/AP<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">Trump also returned from Beijing promising sweeping commercial gains and \u201cfantastic trade deals\u201d. He claimed that China would buy \u201cbillions of dollars\u201d worth of American agricultural goods, particularly soybeans, offering a potential lifeline to US farmers who have suffered badly from years of trade tensions and Chinese diversification towards Brazilian suppliers.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">The US trade representative, Jamieson Greer, said Washington expected \u201cdouble-digit billions\u201d in agricultural purchases over the next three years. Trump added: \u201cThe farmers are going to be very happy.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">Trump announced what could become one of the biggest aircraft deals in history, saying China had agreed to purchase 200 Boeing aircraft immediately, with the possibility of expanding the order to 750 jets if the arrangement proved successful. But Chinese officials did not confirm the deal.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">One of the more surprising announcements concerned nuclear arms control. Trump said he had proposed a trilateral agreement among the US, Russia and China to cap nuclear arsenals. \u201cI got a very positive response,\u201d he said. \u201cThis is the beginning.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">But hopes that Trump and Xi might put the brakes on the uncontrolled development of AI were seemingly dashed. Despite the presence of Musk, who pulled funny faces when asked for photos, Apple\u2019s Tim Cook, chipmaker Nvidia\u2019s Jensen Huang and other tech executives, there were no obvious signs of new guardrails in the AI arms race between the two countries.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"unnaturally-subdued\" class=\"dcr-12ibh7f\">Unnaturally subdued<\/h2>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">The talks also touched on human rights, albeit briefly. Trump said he had raised the cases of the imprisoned Hong Kong media tycoon Jimmy Lai and detained Chinese pastor Jin Mingri. Xi appeared more open regarding the latter, according to Trump.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">\u201cI think he\u2019s giving very serious consideration to the pastor,\u201d the president said. But Lai\u2019s case was \u201ca tough one\u201d.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">For a president who normally commands the spotlight with daily, freewheeling press interactions, Trump was unnaturally subdued in Beijing. In what appeared to be an act of deference to Xi, Trump kept quiet during public appearances at the Temple of Heaven and Zhongnanhai.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"b156f8fe-3bde-4790-90d5-bf0630000cb2\" data-spacefinder-role=\"inline\" data-spacefinder-type=\"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.ImageBlockElement\" class=\"dcr-173mewl\">\n<div id=\"img-7\" class=\"dcr-1t8m8f2\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"children wave flowers at two men in suits\" src=\"https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/fdaf5ba5ce55c87ada7ae82517b0cdd668aa66bd\/0_0_3187_2125\/master\/3187.jpg?width=445&amp;dpr=1&amp;s=none&amp;crop=none\" width=\"445\" height=\"296.7132099152808\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"dcr-evn1e9\"><a href=\"#img-7\" data-ignore=\"global-link-styling\" class=\"open-lightbox dcr-13fd1ms\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><button data-element-id=\"b156f8fe-3bde-4790-90d5-bf0630000cb2\" type=\"button\" class=\"open-lightbox dcr-4tmywn\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\"><span class=\"dcr-194i6pr\">View image in fullscreen<\/span><\/button><\/a><\/div><figcaption data-spacefinder-role=\"inline\" class=\"dcr-fd61eq\"><span class=\"dcr-1inf02i\"><\/span><span class=\"dcr-1qvd3m6\">Xi and Trump participate in a welcome ceremony at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on Thursday.<\/span> Photograph: Maxim Shemetov\/EPA<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">Even his notoriously hyperactive social media feeds went largely dormant during the two-day swing. Critics of the president\u2019s authoritarian tendencies at home are likely to suggest he had found a kindred spirit in illiberal China and has not shown such affection towards another leader since meeting Russia\u2019s Vladimir Putin in Alaska.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">Asked by reporters if he considered Xi to be a dictator, Trump replied: \u201cI don\u2019t think about it. He\u2019s the ruler, he\u2019s the president of China. I don\u2019t think about it. You have to deal with what you have. I respect him. He\u2019s very smart. He loves his country, I respect him, whether he\u2019s a dictator, that\u2019s for you to figure out.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure id=\"819996ea-ee5a-436e-b53b-382344ba6482\" data-spacefinder-role=\"richLink\" data-spacefinder-type=\"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.RichLinkBlockElement\" class=\"dcr-47fhrn\">\n<div data-print-layout=\"hide\" data-link-name=\"rich-link-44 | 44\" data-component=\"rich-link\" data-name=\"placeholder\" class=\"dcr-1kyw41h\">\n<div data-format-theme=\"5\" data-format-design=\"0\" data-format-display=\"0\" class=\"dcr-1bg5532\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/us-news\/2026\/may\/15\/what-was-achieved-trump-xi-summit-beijing\" class=\"dcr-1m887w9\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"dcr-ut4tvs\">\n<div class=\"dcr-1h5b6rb\">\n<div class=\"dcr-169d7yv\">What was actually achieved at Trump and Xi\u2019s \u2018stalemate summit\u2019 in Beijing?<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"dcr-eurq8n\">\n<div class=\"dcr-fkf7vq\">Read more<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">As Trump\u2019s visit concluded, the Chinese government orchestrated a farewell as meticulously staged as the welcome. Schoolchildren clad in the light blue and white colours of Air Force One waved flags in coordinated precision, chanting \u201cWarm farewell!\u201d on the tarmac.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">Smiling alongside the Chinese foreign minister, Wang Yi, Trump pumped his fist, turned at the top of the stairs, and vanished into the aircraft without taking a final question \u2013 and with some of the most dangerous fault lines in global politics unresolved by his status quo summit. But he did draw one conclusion.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">\u201cChina has a Ballroom, and so should the U.S.A.!\u201d he wrote on social media alongside a photo of himself and Xi outside the Great Hall of the People. He was already back to his pet project, a new $400m ballroom at the White House. Whereas past US presidents used to urge China to become more like America, this one seemed intent on making America more like China.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">Democrats condemned Trump for squandering an opportunity. Ten senators including Jeanne Shaheen, ranking member of the Senate foreign relations committee, and Chris Murphy said in a joint statement: \u201cPresident Trump failed to use his summit with Chinese President <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/xi-jinping\" data-link-name=\"in body link\" data-component=\"auto-linked-tag\">Xi Jinping<\/a> to advance any objectives important to the American people \u2013 to counter China\u2019s unfair trade practices and military aggression, preserve American technological and economic leadership, stand up for human rights or strengthen deterrence to prevent a conflict over Taiwan.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">The group added: \u201cWhile US forces are engaged in hostilities against Iran, President Trump refrained from confronting President Xi on China\u2019s extensive support for the Iranian regime and its sharing of intelligence directly contributing to attacks against US forces \u2013 a clear dereliction of his duties as commander-in-chief.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div data-print-layout=\"hide\" class=\"dcr-qxqnsy\"><span class=\"dcr-1rq3vad\">Explore more on these topics<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"dcr-1dzx48f\">\n<ul class=\"dcr-1rrvs2w\">\n<li class=\"dcr-hj8byr\"><a href=\"\/us-news\/donaldtrump\" class=\"dcr-1gwziyt\">Donald Trump<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"dcr-hj8byr\"><a href=\"\/world\/xi-jinping\" class=\"dcr-1gwziyt\">Xi Jinping<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"dcr-hj8byr\"><a href=\"\/us-news\/us-foreign-policy\" class=\"dcr-1gwziyt\">US foreign policy<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"dcr-hj8byr\"><a href=\"\/world\/china\" class=\"dcr-1gwziyt\">China<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"dcr-hj8byr\"><a href=\"\/world\/asia-pacific\" class=\"dcr-1gwziyt\">Asia Pacific<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"dcr-hj8byr\"><a href=\"\/world\/taiwan\" class=\"dcr-1gwziyt\">Taiwan<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"dcr-hj8byr\"><a href=\"\/world\/us-israel-war-on-iran\" class=\"dcr-1gwziyt\">US-Israel war on Iran<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"dcr-hj8byr\"><a href=\"\/tone\/features\" class=\"dcr-1gwziyt\">features<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"dcr-nu129i\"><a href=\"mailto:?subject=Pomp,%20pageantry%20but%20precious%20little%20to%20show%20for%20Trump%E2%80%99s%20Beijing%20excursion&amp;body=https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/us-news\/2026\/may\/16\/donald-trump-xi-jinping-summit-china?CMP=share_btn_url\" class=\"dcr-125qj9d\">Share<\/a><\/p>\n<div class=\"dcr-zhx6xs\"><a data-link-name=\"meta-syndication-article\" href=\"https:\/\/syndication.theguardian.com\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theguardian.com%2Fus-news%2F2026%2Fmay%2F16%2Fdonald-trump-xi-jinping-summit-china&amp;type=article&amp;internalpagecode=us-news\/2026\/may\/16\/donald-trump-xi-jinping-summit-china\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer\" title=\"Reuse this content\" class=\"dcr-14rjinq\">Reuse this content<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"--grid-area:right-column\" data-gu-name=\"right-column\" class=\"dcr-1h2hraq\">\n<div class=\"dcr-jwg3xc\">\n<section class=\"dcr-1hko8ef\"><\/section>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Xi Jinping, right, and Donald Trump meet at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on Thursday.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":0,"featured_media":1174,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1173","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-world-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/usglobalnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1173","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/usglobalnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/usglobalnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usglobalnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1173"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/usglobalnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1173\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1175,"href":"https:\/\/usglobalnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1173\/revisions\/1175"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usglobalnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/1174"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/usglobalnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1173"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usglobalnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1173"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usglobalnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1173"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}