Trump and Xi Jinping said they had agreed to lower tariffs on $60 billion in non-sensitive goods, but set no start date; the deadline for a broader trade accord moved to next year. An analyst called their Washington summit a public-relations win for China.
China separately proposed cutting tariffs on US farm goods such as corn and dairy, while Washington would lower levies on Chinese toys, fireworks and Christmas ornaments. Soybeans were absent from China’s list, leaving purchases potentially vulnerable if ties worsen. Analysts said Beijing had little reason to give Trump major concessions before November’s midterms; its rare-earth dominance and surging trade with the rest of the world add to its leverage.
No Chinese CEO delegation accompanied Xi, casting doubt among analysts on a two-way investment scheme unveiled in May. Xi pressed Trump on US support for Taiwan, which Beijing claims, while Trump avoided the issue publicly; in May, he called a pending $14 billion arms-sale package to Taiwan a “negotiating chip.” Eurasia Group analyst Jeremy Chan said repeated leader meetings could buy Beijing time on the sales. China gave little indication it would help end the Iran war, and Vice President Han Zheng later pushed back against Washington on Iran and Cuba at the UN.
