What the Trump-Xi Summit Means for Africa |
What the Trump-Xi Summit Means for Africa
The détente may well have bought the world some time that can be usefully spent strategically. How can African countries respond?
U.S. President Donald Trump participates in a welcome ceremony with President Xi Jinping of the People’s Republic of China at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China, May 14, 2026.
From May 13 to May 15 the world closely watched while the most consequential diplomatic meeting of 2026 unfolded. U.S. President Donald Trump landed in Beijing accompanied by 17 CEOs who, according to Forbes, are collectively worth more than $1 trillion. This was the first U.S. presidential trip to China in nine years and the first of Trump’s second term. There was a lot at stake, and not just for China and the United States. The impact of this summit will be felt on the African continent as well.
Since Trump’s last visit to China in 2017 a great deal has changed globally directly due to policy decisions taken in both the United States and China. First came COVID-19, which lead to an estimated 7.1 million confirmed deaths around the world. Trump’s second term sparked a trade war that saw the U.S. impose tariffs of 145 percent on Chinese goods while China retaliated with 125 percent tariffs on U.S. goods. A practical truce was reached in Busan, South Korea, where both presidents met in October 2025, but the United States’ broader “Liberation Day” tariffs on China and other countries – including in Africa – remain today, albeit at lower levels.
The Trump administration also shut down USAID in 2025. The U.S. aid agency had been, according to some estimates, safeguarding approximately 3 million lives in lower-middle income countries, including in Africa. The United States also revised the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) from a 10-year guaranteed policy of preferential trade for a selected 30 or so African countries to a more uncertain, annually reviewed policy – this after U.S. trade ties with African countries had already been eroded by Trump’s broader “reciprocal” tariffs.
Meanwhile, China announced the expansion of its aid program globally – especially via the United Nations – and extended zero-tariff treatment to all 53 African countries that have diplomatic relations with China.
Most recently, the United States and Israel started a war with Iran in February 2026 leading to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, which severely affected global trade.
Policy made in China and the United States echoes around the world. Naturally, analysts worldwide were watching the Trump-Xi summit with keen interest. Beyond the pomp and circumstance, how did these talks really play out?
The White House readout was positive and focused on trade commitments, agricultural purchases, fentanyl cooperation, and the shared position that the Strait of Hormuz must remain open. Specifically, Trump announced China committed to purchasing 200 Boeing aircraft, representing the first Chinese order of U.S.-made planes since 2017, and said China had agreed to buy at least $17 billion in U.S. agricultural goods annually through 2028, in addition to purchasing American oil. Absent from Washington’s official account was any mention of Taiwan, though Trump’s remark that a Taiwan arms sale was “a very good negotiating chip” was widely read as a diplomatic win for Beijing.
The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs readout, on the other hand, focused on how President Xi Jinping used the summit to set out a new framework of “a constructive China-US relationship of strategic stability.” Making no specific commitments on Iran, China’s summary centered Taiwan as “the most important issue in U.S.-China relations,” warning that any mishandling on this matter could lead to “clashes and even conflicts.” Different from the U.S. readout, China’s made no mention of specific trade figures, the Boeing deal, or fentanyl.
There were also expected to be discussions on semiconductors, but U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent declined to confirm........