BEIJING (AP) — Chinese President Xi Jinping warned U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday that the two countries could clash over Taiwan if the issue is not handled properly, an unusually harsh warning that contrasted with the U.S. leader’s praise of President Trump.
The exchange at a much-anticipated summit in Beijing highlighted the deep differences that remain between Trump and Xi on thorny issues, including the Iran war, trade disputes and Washington’s relationship with Taiwan. Taiwan is autonomous but China claims it as part of its territory.
It also suggests that Trump’s three-day visit to China may be longer about spectacle and symbolism than substantive political or economic breakthroughs.
The two met behind closed doors at the Great Hall of the People for about two hours, followed by an elaborate welcome ceremony that featured a gun salute, a band playing “The Star-Spangled Banner” and the Chinese national anthem, and hundreds of schoolchildren jumping and waving flowers and American and Chinese flags.
According to a post on X by Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning, Xi Jinping told Trump that “the Taiwan issue is the most important issue in Sino-US relations.”
“If handled properly, the bilateral relationship will maintain overall stability. Otherwise, the two countries will conflict or even conflict, putting the entire relationship in great danger,” she wrote.
The comments came after a brief public exchange before the meeting, in which Trump told Xi: “You’re a great leader. Sometimes people don’t like me saying that, but I say it anyway because it’s the truth.”
“It’s an honor to be your friend,” Trump said before promising that U.S.-China relations “will be better than ever.”
Xi Jinping struck a sharper tone in his opening remarks, expressing hope that the United States and China would avoid conflict and asking whether “the two countries can transcend the ‘Thucydides Trap’ and build a new type of major-power relationship.”
This is a term popular in foreign policy studies that refers to when a rising power threatens to displace an established power, the result is often war. Xi Jinping has used the term for years, but Trump’s use of it when expressing optimism was notable and foreshadowed his closed-door comments on Taiwan.
Still, Xi struck a more conciliatory tone in describing the overall relationship. “Both countries will benefit from cooperation, and both will suffer from confrontation,” he said. “The two countries should be partners, not competitors.”
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio later said U.S. policy toward Taiwan “has not changed” but warned that China’s occupation of Taiwan by force would be “a terrible mistake.”
In an interview with NBC News, Rubio sidestepped Xi Jinping’s warnings about a possible conflict with the United States and said China always raises the Taiwan issue in negotiations.
“They always raise the issue on their side. We always make our position clear and then we move on to other topics,” Rubio said while traveling with the president.
Both sides emphasized the importance of Sino-US relations
After the meeting, Xi Jinping took Trump to visit the Temple of Heaven and hosted a state banquet. In his evening toast, the Chinese leader noted that he and Trump had kept U.S.-China relations “generally stable” in a turbulent world.
“Achieving the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation and making America great again can go hand in hand,” Xi said of Trump’s political movement. “We can help each other succeed and promote well-being around the world.”
In his toast, Trump said his visit was “a great honor” and he had had a “wonderful” day. He said the two sides discussed issues that were “beneficial to both the United States and China.”
Trump also said that Xi Jinping will pay a return visit to the White House on September 24, a date that has not been announced before.
The White House’s assessment of the previous meeting reflected a positive tone, saying both leaders talked about ways to strengthen economic cooperation, including expanding market access for U.S. companies in China and increasing Chinese investment in U.S. industry.
The White House statement did not mention Taiwan directly, but when it came to Iran, it said both sides agreed that the Strait of Hormuz, a key waterway for oil and natural gas, must remain open. The closure of the strait has grounded oil tankers and sent energy prices soaring, threatening global economic growth.
The war is dominating Trump’s domestic agenda and raising concerns about the prospect of a weakening U.S. economy as November’s midterm elections approach, in which Republicans hope to maintain control of Congress.
China is the largest buyer of Iranian oil, and Rubio told Fox News that Trump would lay out Beijing’s rationale for exerting influence on Iran, noting that administration officials would emphasize that “the economy is collapsing because of this crisis,” which means consumers are “buying less and less Chinese products.”
It’s unclear whether Trump persuaded Xi to use his influence. The White House instead said Xi opposed any tolls on ships crossing the strait – as Iran has proposed – and expressed interest in China potentially buying more U.S. oil to reduce China’s future dependence on Gulf oil.
The Taiwan issue remains controversial
Xi’s warning to Taiwan reflects China’s dissatisfaction with U.S. plans to sell arms to Taiwan. The Trump administration has approved an $11 billion arms program to Taiwan, but has not yet started implementing it.
The United States has long been committed to helping Taiwan defend itself if it comes under attack, but Trump has shown greater ambivalence toward Taiwan, fueling speculation about whether the president can be persuaded to reduce U.S. support.
Taiwan said after Xi met Trump that it was grateful for Washington’s “long-term support.”
“The government takes a positive view on all actions that contribute to regional stability and manage potential risks of authoritarian expansion,” Michelle Reis, spokesperson for Taiwan’s chief executive, told reporters. She added that the United States “has also repeatedly reiterated its firm and clear stance in supporting Taiwan.”
The U.S. still hopes for a trade victory
The White House has insisted that Trump will not travel without focusing on achieving concrete results, a sign that an announcement on trade may be imminent.
This could include Chinese commitments to buy U.S. soybeans, beef and aircraft. Trump administration officials also hope to work to establish a trade council with China to resolve business differences between the two countries.
Trump and Xi Jinping discussed trade issues on Thursday, with Xi Jinping saying China’s doors of opportunity will open wider and wider. Xi Jinping also met with American business leaders accompanying Trump.
George Chen, a partner at Asia Group Consulting, said Xi’s red line on the Taiwan issue is “very clear.” But Chen said Xi also struck a welcoming tone on the economic front and wanted to reassure the U.S. business community that China was a place where profits could flow.
The United States and China reached a trade truce last year, quelling threats from each side to impose steep tariffs on the other. The White House said the two sides have been discussing extending the deal and both sides are interested.
The leaders also discussed further stemming the flow of fentanyl precursor chemicals into the United States and increasing Chinese purchases of U.S. agricultural products, according to the White House.
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Associated Press writers Seung Min Kim, Darlene Superville and Michelle L. Price in Washington, Simina Mistreanu in Bangkok and Kanis Leung in Hong Kong contributed to this report.
