Trump hails China trip as ‘historic’ after trade and Iran talks with Xi

WASHINGTON — US President Donald Trump returned to the White House on Friday after a four-day visit to China, describing the trip as a “tremendous success” and an “historic moment” following high-level talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping.“A lot of things have happened that you’ll be hearing about them, but that was a tremendous success. I think it really was an historic moment,” Trump told reporters before entering the White House after his more than 13-hour return flight from Beijing.Trump said Washington and Beijing reached “great trade deals” during the visit and praised what he described as the “great relationships” between the two sides.The US president arrived in China on Wednesday and departed Friday after two days of talks with Xi Jinping in meetings seen as highly significant for relations between the world’s two largest economies.The trip marked the first visit to China by a sitting US president in nine years. Trump previously visited Beijing in 2017 during his first term in office.During meetings held on Wednesday and Thursday, Trump said the two countries reached several agreements covering energy and agricultural trade.He also claimed that China agreed to purchase more than 200 aircraft from Boeing, alongside a pledge for an additional 750 planes, as well as between 400 and 450 engines from General Electric.The visit came against the backdrop of the ongoing Middle East conflict triggered after US and Israeli strikes against Iran on Feb. 28, which led to attacks by Tehran against Israel and US allies in the Gulf region, as well as disruptions to shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.An indefinite ceasefire is currently in effect.Trump said he and Xi shared the position that Iran should not possess nuclear weapons capabilities and that Tehran should reopen the Strait of Hormuz to maritime traffic.China has repeatedly called for dialogue and de-escalation in the region, while Washington had earlier accused Beijing of supporting Iran’s military and economic capabilities ahead of Trump’s visit.