Former U.S. President Donald Trump declared substantial progress in his recent talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping, citing agreements on trade and drug policy despite a bilateral meeting that concluded shorter than anticipated without a formal joint statement.
Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One immediately after departing South Korea, Trump hailed the discussion as “excellent.” He characterized President Xi as a “great leader.”
Trump stated that the United States and China had reached conclusions on “many important issues.” He promised that details would be disclosed “soon.” He further affirmed that both nations agreed on “many things.”
One specific measure Trump announced was an immediate reduction of tariffs on fentanyl imports from China to 10%. This step aims to promote economic cooperation and ease trade tensions.
Additionally, Trump highlighted China’s commitment to significantly increase its imports of U.S. soybeans. He expressed his deep appreciation for this move, which he noted had been announced previously.
The meeting between the two leaders in South Korea lasted approximately one hour and 40 minutes. This duration was notably shorter than the anticipated three to four hours.
Despite shaking hands at the conclusion, neither side issued an official statement regarding the outcome of their discussions. Both leaders departed the meeting location separately.
President Xi’s motorcade left the airport venue to travel to Gyeongju, where the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit was scheduled to commence the following day. Leaders were expected to arrive throughout the evening and next morning.
Trump, for his part, immediately boarded Air Force One. He then departed South Korea directly after the talks.