Trump and Xi pledge 'strategic stability' but key questions remain unanswered

Amna Nawaz:

Tonight, President Trump is returning to Washington after a summit with Chinese leader Xi Jinping. The president announced China would buy hundreds of Boeing jets, and Beijing confirmed the two sides would launch a board of trade and investment. But, beyond that, there are few specifics.

Nick Schifrin reports on the pageantry and the policy from Beijing.

Nick Schifrin:

Today in Beijing, Xi Jinping brought President Trump into the Communist Party's inner sanctum. The president showed admiration for the grounds and his guide.

President Donald Trump:

I like this place.

Nick Schifrin:

And a summit the president proclaimed would produce deals instead ended with few details, even fewer Chinese concessions, and an apparent U.S. endorsement for what Xi Jinping called a new era of constructive strategic stability.

Donald Trump:

President Xi is an incredible guy.

Nick Schifrin:

But flying back on Air Force One, President Trump admitted that Xi pushed him on the single most contentious issue, U.S. arms sales and support for Taiwan.

Donald Trump:

On Taiwan, he does not want to see a fight for independence, because that would be a very strong confrontation.

Nick Schifrin:

That an apparent reference to China's demand the U.S. changed diplomatic language from "We don't support independence for Taiwan" to "We oppose independence for Taiwan," a change to which the president did not commit.

Donald Trump:

No, I didn't make -- I didn't make a comment on it. I heard him out.

Nick Schifrin:

But President Trump also did not commit to approving $14 billion worth of arms sales to Taiwan that are already teed up.

Donald Trump:

I'm going to see. I have to speak to the person that right now, as you know -- you know who he is -- that's running Taiwan.

Nick Schifrin:

China's leverage over the U.S. increased dramatically last year when, in response to U.S. tariffs, it withheld rare earth magnets that the U.S. and the world need for everything from electric vehicles to fighter jets.

Wu Xinbo, Center For American Studies, Fudan University:

China decided, well, enough is enough. You can never satisfy him by making concessions.

Nick Schifrin:

Wu Xinbo directs the Center for American Studies at Fudan University in Shanghai. He says China learned during the first Trump administration appeasement does not work.

Wu Xinbo:

We need to fight back. You have leverage. I also have my leverage, which may be more powerful.

Nick Schifrin:

And as Beijing has acknowledged its own power and leverage, does that coincide with the belief that Beijing has that the United States is A diminishing power?

Wu Xinbo:

In the past, maybe we look upon the U.S. like this, oh, such a powerful country. Today, maybe just like you and I, we look at each other even. And from time to time, we think, OK, we are ahead of the United States in many regards already.

Nick Schifrin:

And he says Xi's most serious message was about Taiwan.

Wu Xinbo:

If you do not accommodate my concern on Taiwan issue, you are not going to have a real strategic stability. If you are going to sell weapons to Taiwan again, can you expect to get permission to visit Premier Xi in September?

Nick Schifrin:

So you think that, if that arms sale goes through, there will be no visit?

Wu Xinbo:

Very difficult.

Nick Schifrin:

Beyond all the politics of this summit, we spoke to young Chinese here, and they say they value the leadership dialogue because they would like to see improved people-to-people connections and increased access to each other's societies.

Zhi Ming Chen is a Beijing-based TikTok influencer who posts online car reviews from all around the world. So he gave me a ride in a brand-new Chinese electric XPeng P7.

Zhi Ming Chen, TikTok Influencer:

OK, auto-drive.

Nick Schifrin:

Auto-drive?

Zhi Ming Chen:

Yes, auto-drive. You can feel many interesting functions in this car.

Nick Schifrin:

So I'm feeling a massage right now.

Zhi Ming Chen:

Yes. Yes. Yes.

Nick Schifrin:

It feels pretty nice.

Zhi Ming Chen:

Yes.

Nick Schifrin:

China is the world's E.V. leader. Today, 60 percent of all new Chinese car sales are electric.

Zhi Ming Chen:

You can use this.

Nick Schifrin:

Now I can wash Trump and Xi.

Zhi Ming Chen:

Yes. Yes, yes, yes.

Nick Schifrin:

What would you like to see come out of the Xi Jinping meeting with President Trump?

Zhi Ming Chen:

I think maybe someday we can drive our Chinese car, like E.V. or some hybrid car, to the U.S.

Nick Schifrin:

And so there are some lawmakers who want to ban Chinese E.V.s from the United States. What do you say to them?

Zhi Ming Chen (through interpreter):

I think they haven't experienced how good Chinese electric cars are.

Nick Schifrin:

How's business?

Yang Sheng, A.I. Entrepreneur:

It's quite good.

Nick Schifrin:

Yang Sheng is an A.I. entrepreneur who's also been an actor and a video game maker.

Yang Sheng:

We want more and more conversation, because conversation makes people understand each other. It can make the market bigger.

Nick Schifrin:

He says a high-level summit where two leaders both embrace -- quote -- "strategic stability" is exactly what young Chinese entrepreneurs want.

Yang Sheng:

As a start-up, also a businessman, we want stable.

Nick Schifrin:

Stability.

Yang Sheng:

Yes, stability.

Nick Schifrin:

That's what the leaders pledged. But after years of rivalry, rapprochement could prove easier said than done.

For the "PBS News Hour," I'm Nick Schifrin in Beijing.