Stories

Fri, 15 May 2026

Fri, 15 May 2026 Trump brought top CEOs to Beijing but few big deals emerge

There were plenty of choreographed ceremonies but no sweeping trade breakthrough as Trump met Xi in Beijing.

* The US-China summit in Beijing has so far produced warm words and carefully managed symbolism, but few big economic outcomes.
* There have been no sweeping trade breakthroughs or major business agreements announced.
* President Trump described the US-China relationship as "the world's most consequential economic relationship" and called the meeting "highly productive".
* The White House said both leaders agreed to establish a "Board of Trade" to manage the relationship without reopening tariff negotiations.
* China has agreed to order 200 Boeing jets, its first purchase of US-made commercial jets in nearly a decade.
* The talks included discussion of expanding Chinese market access for US companies and increasing Chinese investment into US industries.
* Beijing has signaled it will increase purchases of US agricultural and energy products.
* US trade representative Jamieson Greer expects an agricultural deal to be reached sometime this year.
* China is now linking Taiwan to the broader economic relationship with the United States, framing it as a condition for the US-China trade relationship.
* The two sides have not made significant progress on technology issues, including AI and semiconductor exports.