‘2 great countries’: Donald Trump hails meeting with Xi as ‘G-2 moment’

US president Donald Trump returned from China on Friday portraying his talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping as a defining “G-2” moment.“It’s the two great countries. I call it the G-2. I think it’ll go down as a very important moment in history,” Trump said in an interview with Fox News on Thursday.Trump claimed major trade breakthroughs had been made during his visit which included the sale of 200 Boeing aircraft to China with a commitment for 750 more, alongside assurances aimed at boosting the American agriculture sector.After a brief refuelling stop in Anchorage, Alaska, Trump arrived at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland and told reporters, “all I can say is that was a great success… We made great deals. We did great trade deals… A lot of things have happened and you’ll be hearing about them — but that was a tremendous success. I think it really was a historic moment.”Trump said that maintaining strong ties with Xi was crucial, and suggested Beijing was unlikely to make any aggressive move on Taiwan while he remained in office.“It’s not a takeover. They just don’t want to see this place — we’ll call it a place because nobody knows how to define it — but they don’t want to see it go independent. I don’t think they’ll do anything when I’m here. When I’m not here. I think they might, to be honest with you,” Trump said, as cited by Fox News.“I want them to cool down. I want China to cool down. We’re not looking to have wars, and if you kept it the way it is, I think China’s going to be OK with that,” he added.Taiwan emerged as the central issue during the talks between Xi Jinping and Trump. Xi privately warned that disagreements over the self-ruled island, which Beijing claims as its own territory, could push the United States and China towards confrontation or even conflict, as cited by AP.Trump later told reporters he had not yet decided whether to move ahead with a major proposed US arms sale to Taiwan.The United States has long backed Taiwan and is legally obligated to help the island maintain its self-defence capabilities, even as Washington balances that support with its diplomatic relationship with China.Trump earlier said he had “made no commitment either way” on Taiwan, the self-governing island that Beijing claims as part of its territory and has not ruled out taking by force.Washington’s longstanding policy does not support formal Taiwanese independence, while continued diplomatic ties with Beijing rest on the acknowledgement that there is only one Chinese government.Meanwhile on Iran, Trump said Chinese President Xi Jinping indicated that Beijing was willing to help broker an end to the conflict and support efforts to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global oil shipping route.Trump has repeatedly expressed hope that China, as Iran’s largest trading partner, could use its influence to push Tehran towards a deal acceptable to Washington.Trump also claimed Xi assured him that China would not supply military equipment to Iran.