Not much has been reported of the high-level meeting between Chinese President Xi Jinping and President Trump over the weekend. This is primarily due to the mainstream media focusing all attention on the U.S. missile strike in Syria. But now, the summit outcomes are starting to trickle out. Last week, Liberty Nation discussed in detail just what was at stake for the U.S.-Chinese talks.
This week it seems the specific results of the summit are disappointingly shrouded in mystery. Both leaders have remarked about the progress made during the talks, and both have expressed optimism regarding the future relationship between the United States and China. We know what was discussed and generally what was decided, but no specifics have thus far emerged. This, of course, is exactly what Liberty Nation expected. As mentioned in the article hyperlinked above, this meet and greet of the two leaders was predominantly about laying foundations, and it would appear those underpinnings are quite strong.
President Trump and President Xi covered a variety of topics from economic to military, and there is, at least publicly, an agreement of cooperation on almost all of these issues. We know that President Trump pushed on greater Chinese involvement in North Korea, on Chinese missile installations in the Pacific, and on economic matters.
Although the meeting was overshadowed by recent military actions in Syria, President Trump seemingly has laid the groundwork for success. According to Reuters, the two leaders left with an agreement to a 100-day plan for trade talks which would boost U.S. exports and minimize China’s trade surplus. In the wake of the meeting, China has already offered concessions to improve economic relations with the U.S. These compromises include raising the investment ceiling and removing the ban on U.S. beef imports. These are hints at further development of a fairer financial footing between the two super powers.
President Xi also agreed with President Trump on the severity of the North Korea situation and pledged to take a larger role in the process, although what form that might take remains to be seen. Cooperation between China and the United States in dealing with North Korea is still the best option that keeps missiles from flying. While the details of the Trump/Xi discussion and agreement on North Korea remain unknown, President Trump is doubling down his emphasis on the severity of North Korea’s nuclear program. As a result,  a U.S. Navy strike force has been sent to the Korean Peninsula.
How the relationship between China and the United States plays out is still unclear, but this initial round of talks appears to be an advantageous beginning for both nations.
