<div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Presidents Donald Trump and Xi Jinping have wrapped up critical talks, claiming important progress in stabilising US-China relations even as deep differences persist between the world's two biggest powers on Iran, Taiwan and more.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Xi welcomed Trump at his official residence, Zhongnanhai, on Friday for their final engagement of the summit before the US leader's return to Washington. The leaders took a short walk through the grounds that feature ancient trees and Chinese roses, and strolled through a covered passageway with green columns and archways painted with birds and traditional Chinese mountain scenes.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Over tea and lunch, Trump and Xi — with top aides and translators in tow — huddled for nearly three hours of talks before the US leader completed his three-day visit to China.</span></div></div><div><div id="adspot-mobile-medium"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE: </span></strong><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/neonazi-group-white-australia-listed-as-banned-hate-group/0efaed7b-c032-4b70-8005-2262fdcf5455"><strong><span>Neo-Nazi group 'White Australia' listed as banned hate group</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"It's been really a great couple of days," Trump told reporters.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Xi, for his part, called it a "milestone" visit. "We have established a new bilateral relationship, or rather a constructive, strategic, stable relationship," he said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>But the optimistic outlook collides with some difficult truths about the thorniest issues between the two superpowers.</span></div></div><div><div class="OUTBRAIN" data-reactroot="" data-src="//www.9news.com.au/world/us-politics-updates-donald-trump-visits-china-xi-jinping/3b9adc56-fb45-4330-a224-6a2114717eb0" data-widget-id="AR_5"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Beijing has shown little public interest in US entreaties to get more involved in solving the conflict in Iran, even though Trump said in an interview with Fox News' Sean Hannity that Xi had in their conversations offered to help. In recent weeks, the US State Department has accused Chinese firms of providing satellite imagery to the Iranian government and the Treasury Department has moved to target Chinese oil refineries accused of buying oil from Tehran, as well as shippers of the oil.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>And the White House believes China can still do more to stem the flow of Chinese-made precursor chemicals into Mexico used to make illicit fentanyl that has wreaked havoc on many US communities.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE: </span></strong><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/hantavirus-australian-cruise-ship-passengers-returning-home/3ef5e8c8-831f-4970-83e7-ddc426e59c3a"><strong><span>Australian hantavirus evacuees start three-week quarantine</span></strong></a><span></span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Xi, meanwhile, warned Trump during private talks that their differences on the self-ruled island of Taiwan, if handled poorly, could hurtle the world's dominant powers towards "clashes and even conflicts", according to Chinese government officials.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Trump appeared impressed by the bucolic grounds, remarking the roses were the most beautiful he had ever seen. Xi promised to send him some rose seeds.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The compound is wrapped around two artificial lakes that had been built for the pleasure of emperors. Zhongnanhai is often compared to the White House, the Kremlin or South Korea's Blue House. But unlike the other presidential residences, Zhongnanhai does not serve as the main venue for diplomatic visits. The invitation appeared to be an attempt by Xi to extend a personal touch to a US leader who appreciates big gestures.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"I think he's a warm person, actually. But he's all business," Trump said of Xi in the Fox News interview. "There's no games."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The Chinese government also bid farewell to Trump with great pomp.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi saw a smiling Trump off at the airport. And schoolchildren dressed in Air Force One's light blue and white colors waved American and Chinese flags in a coordinated movement as the US president arrived to board the plane.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE: </span></strong><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/giving-room-instead-of-tasing-gran-least-of-all-evils/918c4cb8-a88d-472a-ac2b-c9fb243b6d1f"><strong><span>Giving room instead of Tasing gran 'least of all evils'</span></strong></a><span></span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><h3><strong><span>Taiwan remains the most important issue for China</span></strong></h3></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Xi's sharp language on Taiwan loomed large over the visit, with Chinese government officials amplifying that differences on the self-ruled island pose the biggest risk to US-Chinese relations.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>But Secretary of State Marco Rubio told NBC News that US policy toward Taiwan was "unchanged" and cautioned that it would be "a terrible mistake" for China to try to take Taiwan by force. He also framed Xi's comments as standard practice.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"They always raise it on their side. We always make clear our position, and we move on to the other topics," said Rubio, who was among senior aides to join Trump for the talks.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>China in recent weeks has sought to put more focus on its view that Taiwan sits at the "core" of its interests and is key to ensuring a stable relationship with the US. Trump at moments has shown ambivalence toward Taiwan, raising speculation that he could be open to loosening ties with Taipei.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Trump has demanded Taiwan increase defense spending, and in December, the White House announced an $11 billion weapons package for Taiwan, the largest ever to the island democracy.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>But the US has yet to begin fulfilling the arms sales, and Trump had said he expected to discuss the matter with Xi in Beijing. He's also groused that Taiwan "stole" America's semiconductor business and called on Taiwan to pay the US for protection.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><h3><strong><span>China wants the Strait of Hormuz opened</span></strong></h3></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The leaders agreed that the Strait of Hormuz — effectively closed since the start of the Iran conflict — needs to be reopened to support global energy demands About 20 per cent of the world's oil flowed through the strait before the war started on February 28.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"We feel very similar about (how) we want it to end," the president said with Xi at his side. "We don't want them to have a nuclear weapon."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>White House officials say Xi was also opposed to any implementation of tolls on vessels crossing the strait and expressed interest in China potentially purchasing US oil to reduce Chinese dependence on Gulf oil in the future.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Trump earlier this week had downplayed the importance of talks with Xi on the 11-week-old Iran war that has led to surging energy prices and threatens to plunge the global economy into recession if the conflict does not conclude soon.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>But before Air Force One could land in Beijing, Rubio said administration officials would make the case to the Chinese officials about why they should be invested in prodding Iran to come to terms to end the war.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Indeed, the Chinese, who have been critical of the US and Israeli bombardment of Iran, hold unique leverage as Iran's biggest trading partner. The Chinese government has managed to weather the economic damage caused by the war with the help of its strategic oil reserves, but that backstop is not limitless. Economists say the Iran conflict could still have a big impact on China's export-driven economy.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><h3><strong><span>Will Trump announce any major business deals?</span></strong></h3></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The White House, ahead of the visit, insisted that Trump wouldn't be making the trip without an eye toward securing results before he leaves, suggesting there could be announcements coming on trade.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Trump says some "fantastic trade deals" had been struck during the visit, but did not offer further details</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The US side had been hoping to nail down Chinese commitments to buy US soybeans and beef. Trump told Fox News that Xi had indicated a commitment for China to buy 200 Boeing jets from the US.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The leaders on Thursday discussed increasing US agricultural purchases by the Chinese and opportunities for both sides to expand investment into each other's markets, according to the White House. Trump administration officials also want to work toward establishing a Board of Trade with China to address commercial differences between the countries.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Trump, whose delegation for the trip included the CEOs of Mastercard and Visa, said he also raised with Xi expanding access to the China market for the US-based credit card companies.</span></div></div>