Former US president Donald Trump has responded to Chinese President Xi Jinping's description of the United States as a 'declining nation', blaming Joe Biden for the country's condition during a historic visit to China that yielded no major breakthroughs.
In a social media post late on Thursday, Trump accepted that 'tremendous damage' had been done but suggested Xi's criticism referred only to the US under the Biden administration. 'On that score, he was 100% correct,' Trump wrote, citing issues such as open borders, high taxes, and crime. He added that under his leadership, the US is now 'the hottest Nation anywhere in the world'.
Xi welcomed the US delegation with ceremony but alluded to the 'Thucydides Trap' – the ancient conflict between Sparta and rising Athens – questioning whether the two powers can forge a new paradigm for relations. He also warned Washington that missteps on Taiwan could lead to conflict.
Trump's visit, the first by a US president in nearly a decade, ended without breakthroughs on trade or other priorities. While Trump sought immediate wins such as a Boeing jet deal, Xi emphasised a long-term reset. The rare earths supply problem, which has strained ties since China imposed export controls in April 2025, was not resolved; Chinese state media did not mention the issue.
Trump raised the detention of Hong Kong media tycoon Jimmy Lai with Xi, but Beijing showed no change in stance. Washington had hoped to urge China to leverage its influence with Iran, but analysts doubt Xi will push Tehran, given Iran's value as a strategic counterweight to the US. China's foreign ministry issued a blunt statement expressing frustration with the Iran war, saying: 'This conflict, which should never have happened, has no reason to continue.'
