Donald Trump’s first meeting in his second term with China’s Xi Jinping shed no new light on Taiwan’s future. Despite earlier reports Xi might seek concessions on Taiwan’s status, perhaps in exchange for Chinese trade flexibility, no such concessions emerged publicly.

Instead, the encounter was confined to trade issues, and unexpectedly brief. Moreover, the “results” echoed earlier US-China conversations and commitments. Trump agreed to lower tariffs on Chinese exports to America in return for Beijing deferring restrictions on rare-earths exports, increased soybean purchases, and unspecified steps against fentanyl. Even these “deals” are not done; negotiations are still necessary to transform these headlines into concrete actions.