American President Donald Trump departed from Beijing Capital International Airport on Friday afternoon, bringing to an end a three-day state visit that both governments framed as cordial, but which appears to have produced limited structural breakthroughs.

The Common Sense previously reported that the talks were taking place against the backdrop of the Iran war, rising tensions over Taiwan, worsening trade friction, and a wider contest over technology, energy, and global influence.

That context shaped the final day of the summit. The discussions focused heavily on preventing the Iran war from further disrupting the global economy and keeping the Strait of Hormuz open to international shipping.

The Strait has become one of the most important pressure points in the crisis. The Common Sense previously reported that China remains one of Iran’s most important economic lifelines through its oil purchases, giving Beijing leverage over Tehran at a moment when Washington is trying to end the war and secure open maritime transit.

Trump said after the meeting that he had settled “a lot of different problems” with Xi. He also claimed that China had agreed to buy more oil from the United States (US), as well as 200 Boeing aircraft, although the full terms of those commitments remain unclear.

For Washington, increased Chinese purchases of US oil would serve two purposes. It would strengthen American energy exports while also reducing Beijing’s dependence on Iranian crude moving through the Strait of Hormuz. For Beijing, it would offer a way to stabilise energy supply without appearing to fully align itself with Washington.

Trade was another major focus. The Common Sense previously reported that the summit was partly about preserving a fragile trade truce between the two powers, including tariffs, rare earths, technology controls, and wider market access for American firms.

Taiwan remained the sharpest unresolved issue. Xi reportedly warned Trump that Taiwan remained one of the most sensitive questions in US-China relations, while Washington continued to maintain its support for Taipei.

The visit ended with ceremony, warmer language, and promised follow-up talks, but without a clear reset in relations between the world’s two largest economies. Trump has invited Xi to continue the negotiations in Washington later this year.

The Common Sense’s key read on China-US relations remains that the relative power balance between the two superpowers will ultimately be determined by the status of the dollar as a dominant reserve currency – more than by battle of artificial intelligence, rare earths, and military technology.