US president leaves Beijing with few wins, many warm words for Chinese counterpart after two-day visit
US President Donald Trump said his patience with Iran was running out. that Chinese President Xi Jinping had agreed during theirtalks in Beijingthat Tehran must reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
Trump said later he was considering whether to lift sanctions on Chinese oil companies buying Iranian oil imposed by Washington ahead of his trip to Beijing. China is the biggest buyer of Iranian oil.
However. his comments gave little indication of whether Beijing might use its influence with Tehran to end a conflict it said should never have started.
"I'm not asking for any favors because. when you ask for favors, you have to do favors in return," Trump said, when asked by a reporter on his plane home whether Xi had made any firm commitment to put pressure on the Iranians to reopen the strait.
"We've wiped out their (Iran's) armed forces, essentially. We may have to do a little cleanup work."
Xi did not comment on his discussions with Trump about Iran. although China's foreign ministry issued a blunt statement outlining Beijing's frustration with theIran war.
"This conflict, which should never have happened, has no reason to continue," the ministry said.
Iran effectively shut the strait to most shipping traffic in response to US-Israeli attacks which began on February 28. causing an unprecedented disruption to global energy supplies.
We want the strait open
The US paused its attacks on Iran last month but began a blockade of the country's ports. Tehran said it would not unblock the strait until the U.S. ended its blockade. Trump has threatened to attack Iran again if it does not agree a deal.
"We don't want them to have a nuclear weapon. we want the straits open," Trump said in Beijing, sitting alongside Xi.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Tehran had received messages from the U.S. indicatingWashington was willing to continue talks.
"We hope that, with the advancement of negotiations, we will reach a good conclusion so that the Strait of Hormuz can be completely secured. we can expedite the normalisation of traffic through the strait," he told reporters in New Delhi.
Read More:China says ready to work with all parties on energy security after Xi-Trump summit
Iran. which denies it intends to build a nuclear weapon, has refused to end its nuclear program or relinquish its hidden stockpile of enriched uranium, to Trump's frustration.
"I am not going to be much more patient. They should make a deal," Trump said in an interview aired on Thursday night on Fox News' "Hannity" program. suggesting the enriched uranium only needed to be secured by the U.S. for public relations purposes.
Oil prices rose around 3% to near$109 a barrelon concerns over a lack of progress in resolving the conflict.
Chinese President Xi Jinping. US President Donald Trump shake hands at a state banquet at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China, May 14, 2026. REUTERS
Trump said Xi also promised not to send Iran military equipment. "That’s a big statement," Trump said on "Hannity".
Asked about US sanctions on Chinese oil refineries buying Iranian oil, he told reporters on his plane: "We talked about that. I'm going to make a decision over the next few days."
US agricultural products
Trump said on Friday that American farmers will be happy with his trade deals. that China would be buying "billions of dollars" of soybeans, but gave no details on any new purchases.
Trump spoke with reporters on Air Force One as he returned to the US from a state visit to Beijing.
US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said onFridaythat the US expects China to buy "double-digit billions" worth of US farm goods over the next three years following the state visit,. noted the figure was not just for soybeans but all agricultural products.
China hasdramaticallycurbed its purchases of US soybeans since Trump's first term. sourcing about 15% of its soybeans from the US in 2025, down from 41% in 2016. Instead, the country is turning to cheaper alternatives fromBrazil.
"The farmers are going to be very happy. They're going to be buying billions of dollars of soybeans," Trump told reporters.
US farmers are expected toyieldthe second-largest soybean harvest on record this season, according to the US Department of Agriculture.
Iran says it does not trust the Americans
The war has become a liability for Trump ahead of key US midterm elections in November.
China has dismissed reports it had plans to supply weapons to Iran as "groundless smears". butanalystsdoubt Xi will want to push Iran hard or end support for its military, given its value as a strategic counterweight to the US.
Talks on ending the war, mediated by Pakistan, have been on hold since last week when Iran. the US each rejected the other's most recent proposals.
Iran would welcome any Chinese input. Foreign Minister Araghchi said on Friday, adding that Tehran was trying to give diplomacy a chance butdid not trustthe US.
Iran is prepared for a resumption of fighting as well as for diplomatic solutions. Araghchi said, reiterating that vessels not linked to states attacking his country could traverse the Strait of Hormuz.
Before the war, about a fifth of global oil. liquefied natural gas as well as fertiliser and other vital supplies, passed through the waterway. Attacks on shipping have prevented almost all traffic, althougha huge Chinese tankerand anotherlinked to Japancrossed the strait on Wednesday.
The UAE said it would speed upbuilding a new pipelineto its Fujairah port just outside the strait, after a vessel heading to it was sunk this week. another was boarded andredirected to Iran.
Lebanon talks aim to extend ceasefire
Thousands of Iranians were killed during the US. Israeli air strikes, and thousands have been killed in renewed fighting in Lebanon between Israel and the Iran-backed group Hezbollah.
With a fragile ceasefire in Lebanon due to expire on Sunday,discussions between Lebanese. Israeli officialswere set to resume on Friday. Hezbollah opposes the talks, in which Israel is insisting on the group's disarmament.
Trump says his aims in starting the war are to destroy Iran's nuclear program, end its ability to attack neighbours,. make it easier for Iranians to overthrow their government.
Iran is seeking the lifting of sanctions, reparations for war damage and acknowledgement of its control over the strait.
Iran effectively shut the strait to most shipping traffic in response to US-Israeli attacks. causing an unprecedented disruption to global energy supplies. China is close to Iran and the main buyer of its oil.
The US paused its attacks on Iran last month but began a blockade of the country's ports. Talks aimed at ending the conflict have stalled with Iran refusing to end its nuclear program or relinquish its stockpile of enriched uranium. Tehran denies it intends to build a nuclear weapon.
Xi did not comment on his discussions with Trump about Iran. although China's foreign ministry issued a blunt statement outlining Beijing's frustration with the Iran war.
"This conflict, which should never have happened, has no reason to continue," the ministry said.
Q: It is reported that during President Trump’s visit to China, the two presidents exchanged views on major international. regional issues, including the situation in the Middle East. Did the two sides talk about Iran? What is China’s view on the current Iran situation?A:…pic.twitter.com/XjWtt7Rt43
Trump said of Iran in an interview aired on Thursday night onFox News' "Hannity" programme: "I am not going to be much more patient. They should make a deal."
On the key issue of Iran's hidden stockpile of enriched uranium. Trump suggested it only needed to be secured by the US for public relations purposes.
"I don't think it's necessary except from a public relations standpoint," Trump said in the interview.
"I just feel better if I got it, actually. But it's, I think, it's more for public relations than it is for anything else."
After talks between Trump. Xi on Thursday, the White House said the leaders had agreed that the strait should be open and that Xi made clear China's opposition to the militarisation of the waterway and any effort to charge a toll for its use, as Iran has threatened to do.
Trump said Xi also promised not to send Iran military equipment. "He said he’s not going to give military equipment, that’s a big statement,"
Xi also expressed interest in purchasing more American oil to reduce China's future dependence on the strait. the White House readout of the talks said.
Trump says he spoke a lot about Taiwan with Xi, sees no conflict
Trump said on Friday he discussed US arms sales to Taiwan with Chinese President Xi Jinping during talks in Beijing. said he would soon decide on the matter, highlighting a flashpoint in US-China relations.
Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One on his return from China, Trump said he. Xi “talked a lot about Taiwan” but added that he did not believe there was conflict over the issue. He said he made no commitments to Xi regarding Taiwan.
Trump also said Xi asked directly whether the United States would defend Taiwan if China attacked the island,. that he declined to answer.
“There's only one person who knows that, and it is me. I'm the only person,” Trump said. “That question was asked to me today by President Xi. I said, I don't talk about that.”
China sees Taiwan as its own territory. has long opposed US weapons sales to the island, which Beijing sees as interference in its internal affairs. The United States, despite lacking formal diplomatic ties with Taiwan, remains Taiwan’s most important international backer. largest supplier of arms.
Trump leaves Beijing with few wins, many warm words for Xi
Trump departed China on Friday, touting business deals that gave markets little to cheer, while Beijing warned Washington about mishandling Taiwan. said its war with Iran should never have started.
Trump's visit to America's main strategic. economic rival, the first by a US president since his last trip in 2017, aimed for tangible results to beef up his dented approval ratings ahead of crucial midterm elections.
The summit was filled with pageantry, from grand receptions with goose-stepping soldiers to lavish banquets. private tours of a secret garden, while Trump repeatedly heaped praise on his host, commenting on his warmth and stature.
Also Read:Xi warns Trump of 'conflict' over Taiwan
"It's been an incredible visit. I think a lot of good has come of it," Trump told Xi at their final meeting at the Zhongnanhai complex, a former imperial garden housing the offices of Chinese leaders, before they dined on a menu of lobster balls. Kung Pao scallops.
Welcoming Trump. Xi explained the historical significance of the Zhongnanhai Palace, noting that it had served as the residence of many of his predecessors. He also recalled Trump's reception for him at the Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida in 2017.
"I've chosen this place especially to reciprocate the hospitality extended to me," said the Chinese president.
But just before Friday's meeting, China's foreign ministry issued a blunt statement outlining its frustration with the United States. Israel's war with Iran.
"This conflict, which should never have happened, has no reason to continue," the ministry said, adding that China was supporting efforts to reach a peace deal in a war that had severely affected energy supplies. the global economy.
At Zhongnanhai, Trump said the leaders had discussed Iran and felt "very similar", though Xi did not comment.
Trump had been expected to urge China to use its leverage with Iran to make a deal. But analysts doubt Xi will be willing to push Tehran hard or end support for its military. given Iran’s value to Beijing as a strategic counterweight to the US.
A brief US summary of Thursday's talks highlighted what the White House called the leaders' shared desire to reopen the Strait of Hormuz off Iran, through which a fifth of global oil. gas once flowed, and Xi's apparent interest in American oil purchases to pare its dependence on the Middle East.
"What's notable is that there's no Chinese commitment to do anything specific with regards to Iran," said Patricia Kim. a foreign policy fellow at the Brookings Institution.
Trump's visit to 'enhance mutual understanding, trust': Chinese president
Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday said Trump's visit to Beijing will "enhance mutual understanding. trust," according to the state-run news agency.
Xi described Trump's three-day visit, the first by a US president in nine years, as a "historic. landmark" one, adding that the two sides "had set the new vision of building a constructive China-US relationship of strategic stability," Xinhua reported.
"We had reached important common understandings on maintaining stable economic. trade ties, expanding practical cooperation in various fields, and properly addressing each other's concerns," Xi said.
The two presidents also agreed to enhance communication. coordination on international and regional issues, Xi said, adding that Trump's visit was "conducive to enhancing mutual understanding, deepening mutual trust and improving the well-being of the two peoples."
He added that the visit shows that achieving peaceful coexistence. win-win cooperation between China and the US, based on "mutual respect," is what the people of both countries and the international community expect.
Beijing. Washington can promote their respective development and revitalisation through strengthened cooperation, Xi said, urging both sides to implement the consensus reached, "preserve the hard-won positive momentum, calibrate direction, eliminate interference, and promote the stable development of bilateral ties."
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