Trump and Xi wrap up summit claiming progress stabilising US-China relations

US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping wrapped up critical talks on Friday, claiming important progress in stabilising US-China relations even as deep differences persist between the world’s two biggest powers on Iran, Taiwan and more.

Following the trip, Mr Trump said he had not yet made a determination on whether a major US sale of arms to Taiwan can move forward.

Speaking to reporters as he flew back on Air Force One, Mr Trump said he had not decided on the sale, but added: “I will make a determination.”

Mr Trump’s Republican administration has authorised the sale but it has yet to move forward.

China opposes the deal and has suggested that Washington’s relationship with the self-governing island is the key factor in China-US relations.

Mr Trump said Mr Xi told him that he was opposed to Taiwan’s independence.

“I heard him out,” Mr Trump said. “I didn’t make a comment.”

Mr Trump also said he raised a potential three-way nuclear deal among the US, Russia and China.

He wants each of the three countries to sign a pact that would cap the number of nuclear warheads in its arsenal.

China has previously been cool about entering such a pact.

Beijing’s arsenal, according to Pentagon estimates, exceeds more than 600 operational nuclear warheads and is far from parity with the US and Russia, which each are estimated to have more than 5,000 nuclear warheads. But Mr Trump suggested Mr Xi was receptive to the idea.

“I got a very a positive response,” Mr Trump said. “This is the beginning.”

The last nuclear arms pact, known as the New START treaty, between Russia and the United States expired in February, removing any caps on the two largest atomic arsenals for the first time in more than half-a-century.

As the treaty was set to expire, Mr Trump rejected a call by Russia to extend the two-country deal for another year and called for “a new, improved, and modernised” deal that includes China.

The Pentagon estimates China will have more than 1,000 operational nuclear warheads by 2030.

Mr Xi welcomed Mr Trump at his official residence, Zhongnanhai, on Friday for their final engagement of the summit before the US leader’s return to Washington.

The leaders took a short walk through the grounds that feature ancient trees and Chinese roses, and strolled through a covered passageway with green columns and archways painted with birds and traditional Chinese mountain scenes.

Over tea and lunch, Mr Trump and Mr Xi — with top aides and translators in tow — huddled for nearly three hours of talks before the US leader completed his three-day visit to China.

“It’s been really a great couple of days,” Mr Trump told reporters.

Mr Xi, for his part, called it a “milestone” visit.

“We have established a new bilateral relationship, or rather a constructive, strategic, stable relationship,” he said.

But the optimistic outlook collides with some difficult truths about the thorniest issues between the two superpowers.

Beijing has shown little public interest in US entreaties to get more involved in solving the conflict in Iran, even though Mr Trump said in an interview with Fox News’ Sean Hannity that Mr Xi had in their conversations offered to help.

In recent weeks, the US state department has accused Chinese firms of providing satellite imagery to the Iranian government and the treasury department has moved to target Chinese oil refineries accused of buying oil from Tehran, as well as shippers of the oil.

And the White House believes China can still do more to stem the flow of Chinese-made precursor chemicals into Mexico used to make illicit fentanyl that has wreaked havoc on many US communities.

Meanwhile, Mr Xi warned Mr Trump during private talks that their differences on the self-ruled island of Taiwan, if handled poorly, could hurtle the world’s dominant powers towards “clashes and even conflicts”, according to Chinese government officials.