Chinese President Xi Jinping laughed openly when US President Donald Trump joked about Joe Biden during their meeting, CNN Indonesia reported. The exchange was described by the outlet as an unusual moment between the two leaders.
The talks took place during a US-China meeting held from 23 to 25 September 2026, according to Kabar24. CNN Indonesia reported the lighter moment on Monday, 28 September 2026.
Alongside the meeting, detikFinance reported that Trump and Xi agreed to cut tariffs worth US$30 billion. Kabar24 published a full summary of the outcomes from the three-day session, while ANTARA News reported that China would strengthen cooperation with the United States.
Not all coverage pointed to major progress. Kontan.co.id reported that the Trump-Xi meeting produced few breakthroughs, with the two sides still stuck in a deadlock.
The reports present a mixed picture: a tariff reduction and a commitment to deeper cooperation on one hand, and a lack of significant movement on the core disputes on the other. The joke about Biden, as reported by CNN Indonesia, stood out as a rare personal moment within a meeting otherwise defined by difficult negotiations.
What to watch next: whether the agreed tariff cuts are formally implemented and whether further rounds of talks follow.
