BEIJING, May 14 – Chinese President Xi Jinping on Thursday told U.S. President Donald Trump that Taiwan is the “most important issue” in their countries’ relations, warning of “clashes” if it is mishandled.
Shortly after they voiced hope of carving out a bright future for the two countries in their opening remarks of the two-day summit, China’s state-run media quickly leaked Xi’s caveat regarding Taiwan — a self-ruled island that Beijing claims as part of its territory — made in the first round of closed talks.
Xinhua News Agency quoted Xi as saying that “two countries will have clashes and even conflicts, putting the entire relationship in great jeopardy” unless the United States handles the issue properly.
It said Xi had stressed that “‘Taiwan independence’ and cross-strait peace are as irreconcilable as fire and water.”
Earlier, when they began the summit in Beijing that could shape the next chapter of the bilateral relationship and alter the trajectory of the war in Iran, Xi said in front of TV cameras that he has always thought “the common interests between China and the United States outweigh their differences.”
It remains unclear whether Trump made any remarks on Taiwan, which for Xi was a high-priority topic during their discussions, with Beijing seeking a shift in the U.S. position on the island.
Xi could have urged Trump to stop U.S. arms sales to Taiwan, which China seeks to annex, by force if necessary.
Speculation was also rife that Xi could subtly prompt Trump to say that the United States “opposes” rather than “does not support” Taiwan’s independence.
If that happened, it would be a departure from the language Washington has typically used to reflect its long-held policy of not taking a position on the island’s sovereignty.
At the Great Hall of the People, Trump said he believes the United States and China will have a “fantastic future together” and their relationship will be “better than ever before.”
Trump also said he has respect for China and called Xi a “great leader.”
As the economic and geopolitical competition between the world’s two most powerful countries intensifies, Trump and Xi are likely to discuss many other contentious issues, including trade, advanced technology and the ongoing turmoil in the Middle East.
Xi has rolled out the red carpet for Trump, whose arrival in Beijing the previous night marked the first U.S. presidential visit to China in nearly a decade.
They also toured the Temple of Heaven together in the afternoon and are set to attend a state banquet in the evening.
The U.S.-Israeli war against Iran, which led to the postponement of Trump’s original plan to travel to the Chinese capital from late March, has added to the complexity of the presidents’ interactions.
Before the conflict erupted in late February, Trump’s second face-to-face meeting with Xi since his return to the White House last year was supposed to focus primarily on the economic front, building on earlier progress in easing tensions, especially over trade.
Trump and Xi last met in October on the sidelines of a regional economic forum in South Korea, where they agreed on a one-year pause in their trade war.
The agreement included lowering U.S. tariffs on Chinese imports and delaying China’s new export controls on rare earth minerals.
So much has changed since then, with Trump struggling to secure a deal with Iran to end their fighting that has paralyzed traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, a major shipping route through which about 20 percent of the world’s crude oil normally flows.
Causing commodity prices to soar and sparking concern about a global economic slowdown, the war has further weakened Trump’s hand in negotiating with China and other countries, after the Supreme Court in February ruled against many of his sweeping tariffs.
Recent remarks by Trump have suggested that he will most likely seek Xi’s help in pushing Iran, a strategic partner of China, to accept a U.S. peace proposal and reopen the vital waterway.
Although China has long purchased most of Iran’s oil exports and has influence over Tehran, it remains unclear to what extent, if any, Xi will speak about cooperating with Trump on the Middle East, given that Beijing basically views the war as a U.S. problem.
Beyond Taiwan and Iran, Trump and Xi are likely to address an array of economic issues from trade restrictions to China’s manufacturing overcapacity.
While any breakthrough in settling long-running disputes appears unlikely, U.S. officials have signaled that a number of major commercial deals will be sealed.
Trump is almost certain to highlight such accomplishments, possibly including a Chinese commitment to increase purchases of American farm products and Boeing aircraft.
Traveling with top executives of major American companies, including Tesla’s Elon Musk, Nvidia’s Jensen Huang, Apple’s Tim Cook and Boeing’s Kelly Ortberg, Trump’s team may formally agree with Beijing to create forums aimed at promoting trade in non-strategic goods and investment between the two countries.
