WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping wrapped up their three-day summit Thursday with a joint visit to the National Archives, following tea in the White House Red Room. The stop underscored the symbolism of the meeting, which featured elaborate ceremony but limited progress on major disputes between the world’s two largest economies.
At the Archives, Trump said they would view some of the nation’s most important founding documents, including the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution and the Bill of Rights, along with artifacts reflecting the long relationship and cultural exchange between the United States and China. The visit came after a summit marked by military honors, a state dinner and other pageantry.
Despite the high-profile setting, the meeting produced few clear breakthroughs on trade, artificial intelligence, Taiwan and Iran. Trump said some agricultural products and medical devices would be exempt from the trade dispute, adding that “our farmers will be happy.” The two sides also agreed to extend their trade truce by two months, pushing back a deadline that was set to expire Nov. 10. Details of the trade agreement are expected to be released Monday.
Taiwan remained a central issue. Xi asked Trump to handle the Taiwan issue with caution, and China’s official Xinhua News Agency said Xi hoped the U.S. would maintain its “correct position” of opposing Taiwan independence. Trump said on social media that he planned to meet Xi again twice, at the APEC summit in China in November and the G-20 summit in Miami in December.
