U.S. and China end summit with 100-day plan to boost trade and cooperation

PALM BEACH, Fla. — The United States and China wrapped up a two-day presidential summit here by announcing a 100-day plan to improve strained trade ties and boost cooperation between the rival nations.

But they appeared to reach no clear path forward on North Korea, and the Trump administration’s unexpected military strike in Syria — launched on the summit’s first day — highlighted an area where President Trump and counterpart Xi Jinping differ sharply.

Trump aides who participated in the talks described a productive first meeting between the leaders, saying they exhibited “positive” chemistry. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross said the two sides agreed to speed up trade talks to help close a lopsided imbalance in China’s favor, a common campaign-trail complaint of Trump’s.

“This may be ambitious, but it’s a big sea change in the pace of discussions,” Ross said. “It’s important symbolism of the growing rapport between the two countries.”

Trump advisers said the goal, at least from the U.S. side, was to increase American exports to China. But they offered no details about how they planned to achieve that.

Read the whole story from The Washington Post.

Featured image courtesy of Reuters