During a meeting on Thursday, Chinese President Xi Jinping attempted to persuade President Donald Trump that assisting the Communist Party with “China’s development and rejuvenation” aligns with Trump’s well-known “Make America Great Again” agenda.
Reports from the Chinese state news agency Xinhua detailed Xi’s remarks from a gathering at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit taking place in South Korea. Trump later shared highlights of the meeting on Truth Social, although it’s common for the Chinese Communist Party to release summaries that don’t reflect Xi’s direct words.
“Chinese President Xi Jinping stated that the development and revitalization of China align with President Donald Trump’s vision of ‘making America great again,'” the reports mentioned. It wasn’t clear how Xi justified the notion that aiding the Communist Party in its goals would complement Trump’s agenda, especially after significant economic damage attributed to extensive human rights violations during the pandemic lockdowns.
“China and the United States should be partners and friends, as history tells us and reality necessitates,” Xi reportedly said.
The “Make America Great Again” slogan has been in use since Trump began his first presidential campaign in 2015. The goal is to rebuild America’s manufacturing sector, devastated by China’s entry into the World Trade Organization (WTO) early in the century. The aim is to revitalize the nation while addressing rising crime. Given that the Chinese Communist Party’s grip on global manufacturing—largely achieved through exploitative practices—played a role in harming the American economy, it’s perplexing how supporting China’s economic growth could really support the MAGA initiative.
Trump enthusiastically described his meeting with Xi as a tremendous success, rating it a “12” out of 10. In his message on Truth Social, Trump noted that Xi authorized large purchases of U.S. soybeans, sorghum, and other agricultural products and agreed to establish a system for importing substantial amounts of U.S. oil and gas. Additionally, the Chinese government plans to delay proposed restrictions on exports of rare earth materials to the U.S., which could deeply impact the American technology sector.
“I’m incredibly honored that President Xi has authorized the purchase of large quantities of soybeans, sorghum, and other agricultural items. Our farmers are going to be thrilled!” Trump wrote. “Moreover, China has agreed to ensure the continuous and open flow of rare earths and critical minerals.”
Trump praised the discussion, stating, “I had a truly fantastic meeting with President Xi of China. There’s a vast amount of respect between our two nations, and this meeting will only enhance that respect.”
On Friday, China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs reiterated positive assessments from both sides regarding the conference.
“The economic and trade relations between China and the United States are inherently beneficial,” spokesperson Guo Jiakun told reporters. “As President Xi highlighted, business relations should continue to be the foundation and driving force behind China-US relations, rather than sources of conflict.”
“China is ready to collaborate with the United States to act on the important mutual understanding between the two presidents,” Guo added, emphasizing the goal of narrowing down issues while expanding avenues for cooperation via dialogue based on equality and mutual respect to ensure stable and healthy relations between the two countries.
After Trump returned to the U.S., Xi addressed APEC, adopting a more conciliatory tone than usual in his international remarks. However, he warned that “confrontation and hostility only lead to chaos.” Xi stressed the importance of other nations continuing to depend on China for manufacturing to maintain stable industrial and supply chains.
Despite still being a global manufacturing powerhouse, China’s manufacturing industry has seen a notable decline since Xi initiated a lockdown of its largest city during the Wuhan pandemic. Recent data released by the Communist Party indicated that the manufacturing sector contracted for the seventh consecutive month in October, though not as significantly as analysts had predicted.
