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Trump and Xi Had a Warm Summit. Taiwan Will Test Ties Soon

Trump and Xi wrapped up a warm summit. Weapons sales to Taipei may strain their relationship soon.

Donald Trump is greeted by Xi Jinping at Zhongnanhai Garden in Beijing on May 15.Photographer: Evan Vucci/Pool/AFP/Getty Images

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By Bloomberg News

May 15, 2026 at 9:59 AM UTC

This article is for subscribers only.

Hi, this is Philip Glamann in Beijing, where President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping wrapped up their summit. The question now is how successful these roughly 36 hours have been.

The optics were certainly good, with the event high on pageantry and showmanship. On Friday, Xi hosted Trump at the ruling Communist Party’s Zhongnanhai compound. Video of that encounter showed Xi pointing out trees, while Trump complimented the roses.