US President Donald Trump wrapped up the final leg of his China visit on Friday with a strong message on relations between Washington and Beijing. Despite sharp disagreements over Iran, Taiwan and fentanyl trafficking, Trump maintained that ties between the two countries were "good and getting better".
In a social media post, Trump said Chinese President Xi Jinping had "congratulated me on so many tremendous successes" during their meetings in Beijing. Trump also claimed Xi’s remarks about the United States being "perhaps being a declining nation" were directed at former US President Joe Biden and not his administration.
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Trump added that Xi was referring to America under Biden, while the US under his leadership was seeing an "incredible rise".
President Trump posts on TruthSocial: When President Xi very elegantly referred to the United States as perhaps being a declining nation, he was referring to the tremendous damage we suffered during the four years of Sleepy Joe Biden and the Biden Administration, and on that… pic.twitter.com/Op1uUSmhbL
— Donald J Trump Posts TruthSocial (@TruthTrumpPost) May 14, 2026
Taiwan, Iran remain sticking points
Even as both leaders projected warmth in public, major disagreements remain unresolved.
Chinese officials said Xi warned Trump during private discussions that tensions over Taiwan, if mishandled, could lead to "clashes and even conflicts". Taiwan continues to be one of the most sensitive issues in US-China relations, with Beijing viewing the self-ruled island as part of its territory.
The White House is also seeking greater Chinese involvement in addressing the Iran conflict. Trump said in an interview with Fox News’ Sean Hannity that Xi had offered to help during their conversations, though Beijing has not publicly shown much interest in taking a larger role.
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Another concern for Washington remains the flow of Chinese-made precursor chemicals into Mexico that are used to manufacture illicit fentanyl. US officials believe China can still do more to curb the supply chain.
WATCH: 🇺🇸🇨🇳 White House Shares Cinematic Footage of President Trump’s Visit to China.pic.twitter.com/5kFxgNHTOT
— Donald J Trump Posts TruthSocial (@TruthTrumpPost) May 14, 2026
Boeing deal draws attention
Trade and business announcements also featured prominently during the visit.
Trump said China had agreed to purchase 200 Boeing aircraft, calling them "200 big ones" during a Fox News interview. "It was sort of like a statement but I think it was a commitment," he said while describing his talks with Xi.
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US media reports suggested the potential deal could include around 500 Boeing 737 MAX aircraft along with nearly 100 larger planes such as the 787 Dreamliner and 777 models.
However, Boeing shares reportedly fell about four percent after the announcement, indicating investors may have expected a larger agreement.
