The anticipated showdown between the United States and China over trade and North Korea has ended with little sign of confrontation - or concrete progress in resolving differences.
    
U.S. officials say President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping have agreed to increase cooperation on trying to get North Korea to abandon its nuclear weapons program, and China has acknowledged the need for more balanced trade with the U.S.
    
The most powerful message for the Chinese leader may have been Trump's decision to launch missile strikes at Syria, adding weight to Trump's threat to act unilaterally against North Korea's weapons program. A much heavier risk would be required to take military action against the nuclear-armed North, which has its artillery and missiles trained on a key U.S. ally, South Korea.