White House touts U.S.-China deals following Trump's Beijing trip - UPI.com

U.S. and China Outline Trade and Agricultural Agreements After Trump Meetings With Xi in Beijing

May 18 (UPI) -- The White House stated Sunday that China has committed to purchasing at least $17 billion in U.S. agricultural products annually through 2028, in addition to prior soybean purchase commitments reached last year. The announcement followed President Donald Trump's two-day visit to Beijing for meetings with Chinese leader Xi Jinping. Trump returned to the United States on Friday.

White House materials described the outcomes as a package of commitments covering agriculture, aviation, critical minerals, and new bilateral trade and investment mechanisms. Chinese government statements characterized the same discussions as ongoing consultations requiring further work to finalize specific terms.

The White House fact sheet listed several specific measures. These included an initial order for 200 Boeing aircraft by Chinese airlines, resumption of U.S. poultry imports from states certified free of highly pathogenic avian influenza, and restoration of market access for U.S. beef. The White House also reported that China would address supply-chain concerns involving rare earth elements and other critical minerals. "President Trump negotiated a sweeping package of commitments that will drive high-paying American jobs and open new markets for U.S. goods," the White House statement said.

China's Ministry of Commerce issued a separate statement on Saturday. It confirmed that the two sides had established a Board of Trade to handle bilateral trade in non-sensitive goods and a Board of Investment to address investment matters. The ministry said the trade council would examine tariff reductions, with both sides agreeing to lower tariffs on products of concern to each on an equivalent scale. It further stated that China would work to resolve U.S. concerns on beef registrations and poultry exports in exchange for U.S. steps on dairy and aquatic product restrictions.

The ministry's account did not include a specific number of aircraft or reference rare earth minerals. It described the results as demonstrating that dialogue conducted in a spirit of mutual respect, equality, and mutual benefit could resolve differences.

Trump, speaking to reporters in Beijing on Friday, said the visit had produced "a lot of good" and that the two countries had made "some fantastic deals, really for both countries."

A Chinese Foreign Ministry readout issued Friday stated that Trump and Xi had agreed on a new vision for a constructive relationship focused on strategic stability. A ministry statement from Thursday quoted Xi as calling for implementation of understandings reached during the trip. The same statement identified Taiwan as the most important issue in the relationship and warned that mishandling it could lead to clashes that would place the broader relationship in jeopardy. "The U.S. side must exercise extra caution in handling the Taiwan question," the ministry said.

China regards Taiwan, an island of approximately 23 million people located off its southeastern coast, as a breakaway province and has stated its intention to reunify it, including by force if necessary. Taiwan has not been under the administration of the People's Republic of China since the PRC was established in 1949.

The White House and Chinese ministry statements differed in emphasis. U.S. materials highlighted concrete purchase volumes and market-access steps, while Chinese materials stressed consultative processes, tariff reciprocity, and the strategic context of the relationship. The figure of 200 Boeing aircraft appeared only in the White House account and was not confirmed in the Chinese ministry statements released to date.

Both governments described the meetings as having produced mechanisms for continued discussion of trade and investment issues. The Board of Trade and Board of Investment are intended to provide regular channels for addressing non-sensitive commercial matters and investment questions, respectively.

The trip occurred amid ongoing bilateral economic consultations. Agricultural purchases, aviation sales, and mineral supply chains were among the topics covered in the joint readouts. No final texts of the agreements were released by either side at the time of the White House fact sheet.

Additional reporting from both capitals is expected as the two governments work to implement or further negotiate the measures outlined in their respective statements.