Trump departs China touting deals, but little clarity on Iran or Taiwan
Key takeaways
- Trump tells reporters he is still deciding fate of new Taiwan weapons package, says not “asking for any favors” on Iran.
- By the end, both sides characterised the visit as a success, even if their accounts of what was agreed to varied.
- Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, Trump said he and Xi discussed Taiwan, with China’s leader telling him he opposed independence for the self-governing island Beijing claims as its own.
Why this matters: an international story with cross-border implications worth tracking.
Trump tells reporters he is still deciding fate of new Taiwan weapons package, says not “asking for any favors” on Iran.
xwhatsapp-strokecopylinkgoogle Add Al Jazeera on Googleinfo US President Donald Trump speaks to reporters on board Air Force One after his departure from Beijing Capital Airport on his way back to the United States [AFP]By Al Jazeera Staff, Reuters and The Associated Press Published On 15 May 202615 May 2026United States President Donald Trump has departed China following a three-day trip, touting several broad trade deals but suggesting little progress on key issues related to Taiwan or the US-Israeli war in Iran.
Trump’s visit, the first of his second term, was filled with pomp and circumstance, including a greeting from waiving children and a military honour guard, a private tour of a secretive former imperial garden, and the Confucian 15th-century Temple of Heaven.