BEIJING (TIP): Despite his heavy criticism of China during last year’s campaign, the president toned down his rhetoric dramatically during a visit to Beijing, continuing a pattern of extreme shifts between insults and praise. Tone aside, the summit may not result in much more cooperation on North Korea policy, as the U.S. and Chinese views of the situation are fundamentally different.

President Donald Trump, on November 9, wrapped up two days of intense talks with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping as both sides inked deals worth over $250 billion but doubts lingered about any headway over his efforts to push Beijing to take strong action to rein in nuclear-armed North Korea.

On the second day of his visit, which was marked by lavish red-carpet welcome with an impressive guard of honor by the Chinese military troops, Trump continued his overnight talks with Xi at the Great Hall of People here.

“Just now, the President and I witnessed the signing of some major cooperation agreements by our businesses. During this visit, the two sides signed over $250 billion of commercial deals and two-way investment agreements,” Xi said summing up his talks with Trump, who has been accusing China of not doing enough to address the massive $370 billion bilateral trade deficit. China’s Commerce Minister Zhong Shan said the two sides signed deals worth some $253.4 billion over the past two days.

On pressuring North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un to halt his nuclear and missile programs, which was Trump’s main agenda of the maiden visit, Xi reiterated China’s stand that Beijing is faithfully implementing the UNSC resolutions.

China is North Korea’s close ally and top trading partner. “On the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue, we reiterated the firm commitment to achieving denuclearization of the Peninsula and upholding international non-proliferation regime,” Xi said. The two sides will continue to fully and strictly implement the UN Security Council resolutions. At the same time, the two sides commit to working toward a solution through dialogue and negotiation, he said.

Summing up on the outcome of talks on North Korea, US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said: “The key topic of discussion was our continued joint effort to increase pressure on North Korea, to convince them to abandon their nuclear and missile program”. “Both leaders affirmed their commitment to achieve a complete, verifiable, and permanent denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula,” Tillerson added, according to a PTI report.

Trump, Xi one on curbing terror in South Asia

China said President Xi Jinping and his US counterpart Donald Trump have reached a consensus on fighting terrorism and upholding peace and stability in South Asia, amid America ramping up pressure on Pakistan to dismantle terror safe havens

During their talks, Xi and the US President discussed Afghanistan and committed to working toward a peaceful future for the terrorist haven

Importantly for the South Asian region, Xi said Afghanistan, where US is increasing its presence and pressuring China’s close ally Pakistan to rein in the Taliban, also figured in their talks

On Afghanistan, Trump said: “In order to create a more secure future for all and to protect our citizens from extremism and terrorism, President Xi and I also committed to working toward a peaceful future for Afghanistan”