(AFP) – US President Donald Trump took Xi Jinping to see the founding documents of American democracy on Friday as the Chinese leader’s state visit wrapped up with more pageantry but limited progress. Trump confirmed that he had discussed the Iran war with Xi amid claims that Beijing is supporting Iran, but hailed their “great” meetings despite a lack of concrete results.
On the final day of the Chinese communist leader’s trip, Trump and his wife Melania brought Xi and his wife Peng Liyuan to the National Archives in Washington, where the presidential couples viewed the Declaration of Independence. The United States this year celebrates the 250th anniversary of the signing of the historic declaration, which set out the path for American independence from the “tyrant” British king. Beneath the rotunda, Trump also showed China’s authoritarian president the US constitution, the document that set out the principles of US democratic government two and a half centuries ago.
“We’re just comparing how this goes 250 years, theirs goes 6,000 years,” Trump told reporters, referring to China’s ancient roots, as he stood alongside Xi, chairman of the Chinese Communist Party, which has been in power since 1949. “We’re very proud of our 250.” Xi then headed for the airport to return to Beijing.
**’New substance’**
Xi’s visit has been short on breakthroughs, with the two leaders apparently more interested in using pomp and ceremony to paper over deep tensions. But Trump confirmed that the two leaders had discussed the Iran war. China has continued to buy Iranian oil and US media have reported that Beijing has supplied Tehran with intelligence for attacks on US troops as the war approaches the seven-month mark. “We did, we did,” Trump said at the National Archives when asked if they had talked about Iran. Asked if he thought there would be progress on reopening the Strait of Hormuz, which is crucial for the flow of oil, Trump replied: “I think we’re going to do great.”
The two leaders meanwhile both hailed what they said was progress in managing relations between the rival superpowers, following their third meeting since Trump’s return to power. Xi said his Washington trip had added “new substance” to his summit with Trump in Beijing in May, saying they had agreed to “strategic stability on the basis of respect, fairness, and reciprocity.”
**’Very positive’**
The Chinese leader also floated two more meetings with Trump this year, at the APEC meeting in Shenzen, China in November and then the G20 summit at Trump’s Doral resort in Miami in December. “I do welcome you, Mr President and the First Lady, to visit China,” said Xi. Melania Trump did not accompany her husband to Beijing when he visited in May.
Trump — who has rolled out the red carpet for Xi with a state banquet, military parades, a flyover, and a tour of his new White House helipad — spoke in glowing terms about the visit. “I think we’ve made tremendous strides, we’ve made great strides, very positive for both countries,” Trump told reporters as he had tea with Xi at the White House before the archives trip. Yet the only major announcements have been a shorter-than-hoped-for extension to the US-China trade truce agreed on Wednesday, and the imminent arrival of two pandas at a US zoo.
Meanwhile, Trump’s showcasing of US democracy at the National Archives comes a week after he banned three major US media outlets from the White House. They were readmitted on Thursday on the orders of a US judge. The first amendment of the US constitution proclaims the freedom of the press. Rights groups criticize China for its lack of press freedoms and the right of free expression. Trump also publicly mocked his democratically elected predecessor Joe Biden as he gave Xi a tour of the White House on Thursday, showing him a picture of an “autopen” that he has mounted in a gallery of US presidents instead of Biden’s portrait.
– Danny KEMP
© 2024 AFP
