Xi warns Trump over Taiwan, says variations might result in conflict

President Trump and Chinese language chief Xi Jinping met Thursday in a choreographed summit in Beijing, the place the Chinese language chief warned that variations over Taiwan might result in battle between the world’s two largest economies.

As he launched into the go to, Trump was met with a ceremony that featured an honor guard in addition to a crowd of youngsters waving Chinese language and American flags.

“The relationship between China and the USA is going to be better than ever before,” Trump stated, making his opening remarks within the Nice Corridor of the Individuals.

Xi stated his nation was dedicated to constructing a “relationship of strategic stability” with the U.S.

Taiwan “the most important issue” for Xi

On the summit, Xi positioned Taiwan, a key level of friction between the U.S. and China, on the heart, calling it “the most important issue” between the 2 nations.

Taiwan is a self-governing island that Beijing claims as its personal territory, and it has refused to rule out taking it by pressure. Taiwan is a democracy however, underneath strain from Beijing, only a few nations acknowledge it as impartial.

Beijing has by no means renounced using pressure to unify Taiwan with the Chinese language mainland.

The US relationship with Taiwan has lengthy been seen with anger in Beijing. Washington continues to promote arms to Taiwan, however has additionally lengthy adopted a coverage of strategic ambiguity over whether or not it will militarily come to Taiwan’s protection. In December, the State Division accredited a report $11 billion in arms gross sales to the island however has but to ship the package deal.

Xi warned the U.S. “must exercise extra caution in handling the Taiwan question.”

“If it is handled properly, the bilateral relationship will enjoy overall stability,” Xi informed Trump. “Otherwise, the two countries will have clashes and even conflicts, putting the entire relationship in great jeopardy.”

“‘Taiwan independence’ and cross-Strait peace are as irreconcilable as fire

and water,” Xi said, adding that “safeguarding peace and stability throughout the Taiwan Strait is the most important frequent denominator between China and the U.S.”

Bilateral trade also featured prominently in the meeting

Analysts suggest Trump’s visit this week is unlikely to lead to major policy changes, but is instead focused on building trust between the two countries. It followed months of trade tensions between the economic rivals and came amid heightened geopolitical tensions, including over the war in Iran.

Trump and Xi final met in October of 2025 on the sidelines of an APEC summit in South Korea, ending a long-standing trade-war. Since then, the U.S. and China have been engaged in what analysts name a commerce truce.

“The top goal really is to maintain the relative stability that they were able to achieve in South Korea last year,” stated William Yang, Northeast Asia analyst at Worldwide Disaster Group, a Belgium-based assume tank.

Xi referred to as for each side to cooperate.

“The common interests between China and the U.S. outweigh their differences,” he stated. “Cooperation benefits both sides, while confrontation harms both.”

Earlier than the truce, commerce tensions noticed U.S. tariffs on Chinese language items attain triple digits, whereas Beijing imposed a curb on uncommon earth mineral exports, which play an important position in making cell phones, laptops and plenty of weapons programs.

“The Chinese leadership prefers a stable and productive relationship with the United States so that it can continue to focus on their domestic modernization [and] many of the economic challenges that they face at home,” stated Jessica Chen Weiss, professor of China research at Johns Hopkins College.

Trump and Xi’s assembly within the Nice Corridor of the Individuals was adopted by a go to to Beijing’s Temple of Heaven, a spot as soon as frequented by Chinese language emperors, who prayed for good harvests.

Soybeans hit the headlines in 2025, after China refused to buy the crop from the U.S., leaving farmers struggling. On the eve of the go to, the White Home instructed there may very well be bulletins on commerce between the 2 nations, together with soybeans, and plane.

“These are all considered as the price China can easily absorb and pay in a way to appeal to Trump’s appetite for a deal,” stated analyst Yang.

Taiwan’s response to Trump-Xi summit

In Taipei, throughout the Taiwan Strait, the assembly between Xi and Trump is being rigorously watched.

Reacting to Xi’s warning, Taiwan’s authorities cupboard spokesperson Michelle Lee stated that Taipei’s authorities is grateful for the agency U.S assist of the island. “The U.S. has also repeatedly reiterated its firm and clear position of support for Taiwan,” Lee stated.

Trump and Xi, in keeping with Chinese language state media, additionally talked concerning the Center East and the struggle in Ukraine.

“Both the United States and China want to see de-escalation of the conflict or the fallout of the U.S. war against Iran,” stated Ali Wine, senior researcher on the Worldwide Disaster Group.

Strait of Hormuz “must remain open” 

In an announcement, the White Home stated Xi and Trump had agreed the Strait of Hormuz, the important thing waterway via which 20 % of the world’s gasoline strikes, should stay open. .

Accompanying the U.S. delegation in Beijing are a dozen high U.S. executives, together with SpaceX’s Elon Musk, Apple’s Tim Prepare dinner and NVIDIA’s Jenson Huang.

In accordance with Chinese language state media, Xi informed the enterprise leaders that U.S. corporations had been contributing to China’s reforms and opening up. “The door to China for US business would only get wider,” Xi stated . added.

“They look forward to trade and doing business, and it’s going to be totally reciprocal on our behalf,” Trump stated.

The go to, which features a state banquet, a tour to the compound that homes the Chinese language Communist Social gathering in Beijing and a working lunch between the 2 leaders is scheduled to conclude on Friday.