Donald Trump has said that the US and China agree that the war in Iran should end and that the Strait of Hormuz should be reopened.Xi Jinping hailed a "constructive and strategically stable relationship" between the countries on day two of his American counterpart's state visit.State media reports noted the pair discussed "regional hot issues," but there was no detail given on Iran, Taiwan or tariffs.Take a look back at how the day unfolded.PinnedFri 15 May 2026 at 4:50pmFri 15 May 2026 at 4:50pmThanks for joining usIt's been a busy two days in Beijing with Donald Trump meeting Xi Jinping in China for the first time in nearly nine years.Here is what we learned:Donald Trump said Xi Jinping agreed that the war in Iran should end and the Strait of Hormuz reopened.Xi Jinping said the two countries had reached a milestone in building a "constructive and strategically stable relationship".The pair also reportedly discussed "regional hot issues" but the state media reports didn't provide further detail.The two world leaders toured the exclusive Zhongnanhai compound where China's top leaders live and work.Few tangible agreements or deals from the summit have been announced, but Boeing reportedly struck a deal to build 200 planes.Keep your eyes on the ABC News website and watch The World tonight at 9pm AEST for all the latest updates.Until next time!Collapse all postsFilter PostsAll43Key Events12Q&A11Key EventFri 15 May 2026 at 4:49pmFri 15 May 2026 at 4:49pmWatch: Trump farewelled from BeijingBy Patrick MartinThe US president again had the red carpet rolled out for him as he left China.He was farewelled with a guard of honour, with people waving flags and chanting as he scaled the stairs to Air Force One.Key EventFri 15 May 2026 at 4:32pmFri 15 May 2026 at 4:32pmDiscussions held on 'regional hot issues'By Iris ZhaoReports are emerging in Chinese state media about how the state visit went.CCTV reports that Xi Jinping said the two countries have reached an important consensus on maintaining the stability of economic and trade relations."President Trump hopes to make America great again, and I am committed to leading the Chinese people to achieve the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation," Xi was reported as saying."The two sides should implement the important consensus we have reached, cherish the current hard-won good momentum."Trump reportedly said the countries had "formed a series of important consensuses, reached a number of agreements, and solved many problems, which is very beneficial to both countries and the world."He added that he wanted to continue the "sincere and in-depth communication" with his Chinese counterpart and looked forward to hosting Xi in Washington in September.The report also noted that Trump and Xi discussed "regional hot issues."It is a vague statement that comes with no detail, but it's notable these words were not included in the report:Iran, Taiwan and tariffs.Fri 15 May 2026 at 4:26pmFri 15 May 2026 at 4:26pmTrump prepares to leave ChinaBy Patrick MartinThe US president has boarded Air Force One after speaking with China's foreign minister on the tarmac near the plane.It wasn't possible to clearly make out what was said over the whir of the plane and the chanting of the crowd, who assembled to farewell him.(Reuters: Evan Vucci)Fri 15 May 2026 at 4:21pmFri 15 May 2026 at 4:21pmHas Jimmy Lai's case been discussed?By Xiaoning MoTrump said he would raise the case of jailed Hong Kong media tycoon and pro-democracy advocate Jimmy Lai with Xi.However the statement following the pair's meeting yesterday made no mention of it.The 78-year-old was sentenced in February to 20 years in prison on charges including colluding with foreign forces and publishing seditious material.Jimmy Lai outside the Hong Kong Court of Appeal. (Reuters: Tyrone Siu, file)His case has drawn international criticism over Hong Kong's national security crackdown, particularly because he founded the now-shuttered Apple Daily newspaper.Lai's family has repeatedly raised concerns about his health behind bars.Trump also said he would raise the case of Pastor Jin Mingri, founder of Zion Church, who was arrested last year after Beijing rolled out new rules banning unauthorised online preaching and "foreign collusion" in mainland China.The American statement also didn't mention the pastor.Fri 15 May 2026 at 4:14pmFri 15 May 2026 at 4:14pmUS AI firm issues warningBy Iris ZhaoDuring Trump and Xi's meeting, leading AI firm Anthropic warned that without export controls on AI chips, there could be significant implications for the US.Its report said if the US didn't ban the chip exports, "the best models enable automated repression at scale.""Democracies, not authoritarian regimes, must lead in AI development and deployment," Anthropic wrote."These countries and political systems can shape the rules and norms that govern these systems."Fri 15 May 2026 at 4:04pmFri 15 May 2026 at 4:04pmBoeing shares fall after underwhelming dealBy Nelli SaarinenSo far, we have very few details of business deals to come out of these bilateral meetings between the US and China.In one tangible update, Trump told Fox News that China had agreed to order 200 Boeing BA.N jets, its first purchase of US-made commercial jets in nearly a decade.Among the entourage of US business leaders joining Trump in Beijing was Boeing President and CEO Kelly Ortberg. (Reuters: Maxim Shemetov/Pool)That order fell short of the roughly 500 jets the markets had expected, and Boeing shares fell more than 4 per cent."For the market, the summit can be strategically reassuring while underwhelming in substance," Chim Lee, senior China analyst at the Economist Intelligence Unit, told Reuters news agency.These discussions follow a fragile trade truce struck when the two leaders last met in October. Trump suspended triple-digit tariffs on Chinese goods while Xi backed away from choking off supplies of vital rare earths.Fri 15 May 2026 at 3:56pmFri 15 May 2026 at 3:56pmWhat did Trump and Xi have for lunch?By Kat Tse in BeijingThe two leaders have held a working lunch behind closed doors.According to the travelling press pack, they ate:Minced Codfish in Seafood SoupCrispy and Stir-Fried Lobster BallsPan-Seared Beef Fillet Stuffed with Morel MushroomsKung Pao Chicken and ScallopsBraised Seasonal Greens, Bamboo Shoots, Mushrooms, and BeansStewed Beef in a Bun Steamed Pork and Shrimp DumplingChocolate BrownieFruits and Ice CreamCoffee/TeaFri 15 May 2026 at 3:47pmFri 15 May 2026 at 3:47pmWhat has happened today so farBy Nelli SaarinenKey EventFri 15 May 2026 at 3:40pmFri 15 May 2026 at 3:40pmWatch: Trump calls China's leadership HQ 'nice place'By Patrick Martin Zhongnanhai is China's equivalent to the White House and Donald Trump was impressed."Nice place, I like it," Trump said."I could get used to this."Fri 15 May 2026 at 3:30pmFri 15 May 2026 at 3:30pmHow Chinese media is covering Trump's visitBy Iris ZhaoChinese media in general took a very positive tone in their coverage of day one of the visit.China's official news agency Xinhua called the leaders' meeting "a handshake across the Pacific" that "captures the world's attention".Xinhua also quoted Trump saying the US and China would have a great future ahead and praising Xi Jinping as an outstanding leader of China.Xinhua's content is usually re-published across most news websites and regional newspapers in the country.Global Times, a tabloid owned by the Chinese Communist Party, today published an editorial saying the leaders had provided confidence not only in the two countries' bilateral relationship but also the peaceful development of the world.It also said the two leaders had set a new framework for the US and China to work together.(Reuters: Tingshu Wang)Fri 15 May 2026 at 3:18pmFri 15 May 2026 at 3:18pmAnalysis: The joint statement that wasn'tBy Bang XiaoThere was no joint statement out of Trump's China trip today.But there might as well have been.In one of the most secretive spaces in Chinese politics, the walled compound where China's top leaders live and work, the number of cameras and journalists granted access at the start of the bilateral tea this morning was unprecedented.That itself is the story.(Reuters: Evan Vucci)Zhongnanhai is normally a no-go zone even for Chinese media. Beijing's decision to throw open the gates, even briefly, was a deliberate gift to the cameras.And in the five minutes Trump and Xi spent in front of those cameras, they did most of the work a joint statement would have done — without ever having to negotiate one.The tone was warm. Both leaders were clear in their messaging. And both were clearly speaking to audiences back home.(Reuters: Evan Vucci)Xi was telling 1.4 billion Chinese people that the US and China have agreed to move the relationship forward. Despite their differences, the two superpowers are choosing to be constructive.Trump was telling Americans that China will help on the Strait of Hormuz and that Xi will be coming to Washington soon. These are the wins he can wave at home.It is unusual to see split-screen messaging like this end up sounding so aligned. For the world watching, today offered a rare glimpse that two leaders cast as rivals can behave more like partners helping each other manage problems back home.Whether the partnership outlasts the photo op is the question that will dominate the weeks ahead.Fri 15 May 2026 at 3:16pmFri 15 May 2026 at 3:16pmWhat is the 'Thucydides Trap'?By Patrick MartinXi Jinping made reference to a 'Thucydides Trap' in his opening remarks yesterday.So, what was he on about?The theory, developed by American political scientist Graham Allison, posits that when a rising power threatens an established power, war between the two becomes more likely.ABC reporter Elissa Steedman has taken a deeper dive on the reference, which dates back to the 5th century BC.Fri 15 May 2026 at 3:04pmFri 15 May 2026 at 3:04pmChinese stock market waversBy Iris ZhaoThe second day of the leaders' summit saw the Chinese stock market wavering.Two Chinese stock indexes rose slightly after dipping over 0.5 per cent respectively this morning.Hong Kong's benchmark Hang Seng fell more than 1 per cent.Traders are closely watching for any positive signals from the meeting, including a potential easing of tariffs.The Chinese currency, Yuan, hit a three-year high against the dollar yesterday and maintained its strength today.Fri 15 May 2026 at 2:57pmFri 15 May 2026 at 2:57pmXi to gift Trump seeds of Chinese roses as giftBy Bang XiaoAs is customary in state visits, both leaders are expected to exchange gifts.Xi Jinping will give his American counterpart seeds of the Chinese roses."On our way in [to Zhongnanhai], we stayed to look at some of the old trees. One of them is 490 years old," Xi said."In other places within the compound, there are trees that have lived up to 1,000 years old.""Mr President was interested in all of that, including the Chinese roses."You can see his full statement here.Key EventFri 15 May 2026 at 2:43pmFri 15 May 2026 at 2:43pmWatch: Trump says US and China agree on IranBy Patrick MartinDonald Trump spoke a short time ago in Beijing about his state visit to China and about Iran.He said Xi agreed that the war should end and the Strait of Hormuz should be reopened."We want that to end, we don't want them to have a nuclear weapon. We want the straits open," Trump said.Trump also expressed his gratitude to Xi for his hospitality, describing the relationship between the US and China as "very strong"."It's an honour to be here. We will be back," he said."I believe on September 24 ... president Xi will be coming to the United States."We will be reciprocal ... you are gonna walk away hopefully very impressed like how we are impressed with China."You can see his full statement below.Fri 15 May 2026 at 2:35pmFri 15 May 2026 at 2:35pmThis concludes our Q&ABy Nelli SaarinenThank you so much for following along this live Q&A on Donald Trump's visit to China and for sending in some great questions for our journalists.But it's not all over, there are still more updates to come!We'll continue to bring you the latest updates and analysis right here as the second day of meetings between the two world leaders unfolds.Fri 15 May 2026 at 2:34pmFri 15 May 2026 at 2:34pmQ&A: Why Albo wasn't invited to ZhongnanhaiBy Bang XiaoWhy wasn't Albo invited to Zhongnanhai in his last visit?- ClaudiaHi Claudia, great spot! It tells you a lot about how Beijing reads relationships.Albanese met Xi at the Great Hall of the People in July 2025, the same venue Trump was at yesterday. He didn't make it to Zhongnanhai.There are reasons, but none of them about Albanese. His trip was an "official visit" but Trump's is a "state visit". It means Trump has more pomp, and more access.Zhongnanhai is reserved for moments Beijing wants to mark as exceptional, usually involving great-power partners.And while Australia-China ties have stabilised under Albanese, the decade behind them had trade sanctions, detained Australians and strategic tensions. Beijing probably didn't think it was the right time to call for a "leap forward" gesture.But here is the more interesting twist. Trump's access has been downgraded too.In 2017, Xi made him the only foreign leader since 1949 to dine inside the Forbidden City. It was a "state visit-plus" in Beijing's words.This time, the cultural showcase is the Temple of Heaven that Albanese was invited to as well. Still grand, but a different register. The vibe is certainly less emperor treatment, but more like visiting an old "friend".Key EventFri 15 May 2026 at 2:26pmFri 15 May 2026 at 2:26pmUS and China want Strait of Hormuz openBy Patrick MartinWe've just heard from both leaders after their tour of Zhongnanhai.Donald Trump said both countries agreed that Iran couldn't have a nuclear weapon.He also said both the US and China wanted the Strait of Hormuz open."We've settled a lot of different problems that other people wouldn't have been able to solve," Trump said.Xi said the two countries have reached a significant milestone in developing a "constructive and strategically stable relationship".Donald Trump and Xi Jinping made the comments at the end of a tour of Zhongnanhai. (Reuters: Evan Vucci)The comments follow a statement published by China's foreign ministry earlier today."There is no point in continuing this conflict," the statement said."China always believes that dialogue and negotiation is the right way forward, and the use of force is a dead end."It is important to reach a comprehensive and lasting ceasefire as soon as possible."Key EventFri 15 May 2026 at 2:04pmFri 15 May 2026 at 2:04pmIn pictures: Trump inside China's leadership compoundBy Iris Zhao