President Donald Trump ended his high-stakes two-day summit with Chinese leader Xi Jinping in Beijing on May 15.

The president discussed a variety of issues during his visit, from purchase commitments to the tenuous international situations in Iran and Taiwan, and even broached human rights issues with the communist regime. 

The American leader was met with ceremony and diplomatic deference, but some believe that the president’s diplomacy might have taken precedence over creating more advantageous relations with the country. 

Epoch Times readers were divided on whether the president took the necessary steps to ensure American security while in China, but were united that the Chinese regime shouldn’t be trusted.

Trump’s Results

When surveyed, readers were divided about whether they considered the trip to China a success for the United States. 

Just 37 percent of readers agree that the Trump–Xi summit strengthened America’s position in its competition with China. Another 28 percent disagree, but 35 percent are either not sure, or neither agree nor disagree. 

When asked, 66 percent said they believe that the summit produced more symbolic than substantive results. 

One commenter noted, “The US-China relationship is thick with complicated issues. Trump’s visit with Xi went pretty much as one could hope for, considering all the things involved.” 

Just under half (47 percent) agreed that the summit reduced tensions without securing enough concrete concessions from the Chinese regime. But 32 percent either have no opinion, or neither agree nor disagree on the topic. 

Around 38 percent of respondents agree that Trump’s public praise of Xi may embolden the Chinese Communist Party. Another 33 percent disagree with the statement, while 29 percent either have no opinion, or neither agree nor disagree.

Almost half (49 percent) of readers believe Trump should have been clearer in defending Taiwan during the summit.

One reader said the event seemed to be a “bilateral praise fest for the most part,” and another said that the United States should “do NO business with China. Students should be banned. Chinese US property ownership should be banned. Birth tourism banned. China should be isolated and the CCP broken.”

When asked whether Trump should have demanded progress on human rights, including the release of Hong Kong media tycoon Jimmy Lai, 65 percent of readers agreed.

Reader Views on China 

While divided on the success of the trip, readers were not divided on their mistrust of China. 

Ninety-three percent of those polled said they believe China should still be viewed as America’s principal strategic rival. 

Almost the same number (92 percent) believe that the Chinese regime’s history of unfulfilled commitments makes new promises difficult to trust. 

Additionally, 81 percent of readers agreed that China’s unwillingness to pressure Iran shows the limits of cooperation with Beijing. 

Roughly 53 percent of readers believe that China is becoming less dependent on American technology than many people realize, while 32 percent of respondents either have no opinion, or neither agree nor disagree.

A poll taker commented on the China meeting, saying that it garnered, “No results with measurable or enforceable terms. Particularly with Chinese entities, results must be regularly measured and deviations from the agreed standards enforced.”

Steps the US Should Take

Many of those polled believe that the United States should take decisive action concerning China, and its neighbors. 

Eighty-five percent believe that the United States should continue strengthening Taiwan’s defenses even if Beijing objects.

A whopping 94 percent agreed that the United States should maintain strict export controls on advanced artificial intelligence chips.

More than half of those polled (56 percent) agree that America’s lead in artificial intelligence and semiconductors is narrowing. 

As far as Chinese influence in the United States, readers were decisively for action to halt the growing trend. 

The vast majority (96 percent) of readers agreed that Chinese ownership of U.S. farmland should be prohibited, and 94 percent agree that national security should take priority over revenue from Chinese college students.

One reader commented, saying, “China has no interest in ending the jailing of practicing Christians nor curbing Iran. They continue to threaten Taiwan and appear to have infiltrated the US through land purchases and infusing a large number of Chinese … military-age men crossing the border.”

When readers were asked how they would rate the overall success of Trump’s summit, the plurality considered it to be a mixed results trip for the United States. The next largest group considered it to be a “moderate success.” 

One respondent said that they considered the trip to be a “success in that Trump makes contact with Xi and continues the relationship because that is how Trump conducts business and wins for the US. I am confident Trump would defend Taiwan.”

Some were blatantly frustrated with the trip results: “Trump has forgot America first,” said one reader. 

Another called the meeting “mainly a waste of time. If we are the most powerful nation in the world, we need to act like it and deal with our enemies in ways they understand. Less diplomacy and more action required.”

However, a number of people voiced the opinion that the president is working in the nation’s best interest: “President Trump KNOWS what he is doing,” said one reader. 

“We have no idea of what is going on behind the scenes as it has not yet been divulged.”