Donald Trump leaves China (Photo/AFP)
US staff and members of the traveling press accompanying President Donald Trump reportedly threw away all materials handed over by Chinese officials before boarding Air Force One on Friday.The move came as Trump concluded his two-day high-level visit to Beijing after meetings with Chinese President Xi Jinping.According to the White House press collection, US officials collected and threw away numerous items issued during the visit, including press credentials, delegation pins and cell phones used by White House staff. The materials were reportedly thrown into a box placed near the plane’s stairs shortly before it took off from Beijing Capital Airport.
The unusual move came despite friendly public appearances surrounding Trump’s meetings with Chinese President Xi Jinping during a two-day state visit aimed at strengthening relations between Washington and Beijing.But behind the scenes, tensions have emerged between Chinese and American officials over security and media access during several events linked to the summit, according to The Hill. During Trump and Xi’s visit to the Temple of Heaven in Beijing, a US Secret Service agent escorting the gathering of American journalists was allegedly denied entry by Chinese officials because the agent was carrying a firearm as part of standard security protocol.
According to pooled reports, the dispute led to a delay of about 90 minutes before the media was allowed into the venue after what journalists described as an “intense discussion” between US and Chinese officials.More friction was reported during Trump’s departure, when Chinese authorities blocked members of the American press pool from immediately joining the presidential motorcade before US aides intervened and imposed security restrictions.The tensions echoed similar confrontations during the US President’s previous visits to China. During former President Barack Obama’s 2016 trip to Hangzhou for the G20 summit, American and Chinese officials engaged in public disputes over press access and security arrangements.Trump left China after holding a series of meetings with Xi and senior Chinese leaders in Zhongnanhai, the Chinese Communist Party’s heavily guarded leadership compound in Beijing.Speaking before departure, Trump described the visit as “historic” and praised Xi, saying the two sides will continue to enhance engagement and maintain direct communication.The visit also included an official banquet, a welcome ceremony and discussions on trade, global security and regional stability. Trump said Xi is expected to visit the United States later this year in what he described as a “reciprocal” visit.The China trip marks Trump’s first visit to the country in nearly a decade, and came amid ongoing geopolitical tensions, trade negotiations and discussions about global economic stability.