China's President Xi Jinping warned US President Donald Trump of 'clashes and even conflicts' over Taiwan during a two-hour meeting in Beijing, according to a statement from China's foreign ministry. Xi described Taiwan as 'the most important issue in China-US relations', emphasising Beijing's claim over the self-governing island.
The summit, originally intended to focus on trade and artificial intelligence, was overshadowed by tensions over Iran. Trump later stated that Xi had 'strongly' pledged not to send weapons to Iran, despite recent US intelligence reports suggesting China had considered supplying shoulder-fired missiles to Tehran via third countries. China has denied these reports.
Discussions also covered the Ukraine conflict, the Korean peninsula, and the importance of keeping the Strait of Hormuz open for energy flows. The White House noted talks on market access for US firms in China and fentanyl controls, though these were absent from the Chinese readout.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio reaffirmed that the US position on Taiwan remains unchanged, stating: 'They always raise it on their side. We always make clear our position, and we move on to the other topics.' Human rights and climate change were not expected to feature prominently in the discussions.
The summit began with a ceremonial welcome at the Great Hall of the People, where Xi and Trump reviewed troops and watched a performance by the Chinese military band. Trump praised Xi as a 'great leader', while Xi stressed the need for stability in US-China relations, noting 2026 marks 250 years of US independence.
