Chinese President Xi Jinping warned US President Donald Trump that mishandling the Taiwan issue could push China-US ties towards “clashes and even conflicts” as he held high-stakes talks with Trump in Beijing on May 14, state news agency reported.
Describing peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait as the “biggest common denominator” between the world’s two largest economies, Xi stressed that the Taiwan question remains the most important issue in bilateral relations.
He said proper handling of the matter would ensure overall stability in China-US ties, but warned that support for “Taiwan independence” was fundamentally incompatible with cross-strait peace.
The remarks underscored Beijing’s firm stance on Taiwan amid renewed efforts by both countries to stabilise relations after years of strategic rivalry, trade tensions and geopolitical disputes.
On the economic front, Xi struck a more conciliatory tone, saying the latest negotiations between Chinese and US economic and trade teams had produced “generally balanced and positive outcomes”.
He described the progress as “good news” for both nations and the global economy.
Xi also reiterated Beijing’s long-standing position that “trade wars have no winner”, urging both sides to resolve disagreements through “equal-footed consultation” and to preserve the improving momentum in bilateral engagement.
The trip to Beijing is the first by a US president in nearly a decade, with the grand reception belying a host of unresolved trade and geopolitical tensions between the two countries.
Xi greeted Trump with a red-carpet welcome at the opulent Great Hall of the People, with military band fanfare, a gun salute and a host of schoolchildren jumping and chanting “welcome!”.
The meeting between Xi and Trump is being closely watched by global markets and political observers for signs of easing tensions between the two powers, particularly on trade, technology and regional security issues.
