Chinese leader Xi Jinping delivered a blunt threat to U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday, saying that any misstep over Taiwan could push the two economic superpowers toward direct confrontation.
“The Taiwan question is the most important issue in China-U.S. relations,” Xi told Trump during a summit in Beijing, according to a Chinese government readout. “If it is handled properly, the bilateral relationship will enjoy overall stability. Otherwise, the two countries will have clashes and even conflicts, putting the entire relationship in great jeopardy.”
For decades, Washington’s ties with Taipei has remained one of the most combustible flashpoints in U.S.-China relations. The Chinese Communist Party regards the island as a wayward province destined for reunification. Xi has instructed the People’s Liberation Army to be prepared to invade by 2027.
Since the 1970s, successive American administrations have adhered to a policy known as “strategic ambiguity,” deliberately maintaining uncertainty over whether the U.S. would come to Taiwan’s defense in the event of a Chinese attack.
George Chen, partner for the Greater China practice at the Asia Group, said in an interview with Military Times that Xi’s message to Trump should not be seen as an escalation, but rather an effort to establish boundaries from the outset.
“President Xi’s opening remarks, right in front of President Trump, puts a huge emphasis on Taiwan because Xi wants to make it crystal clear that he has zero tolerance for any moves toward Taiwan independence,” Chen said.
“It’s clear that Xi is not interested in taking the military path for Taiwan issues — at least not yet,” he added. “And he hopes Washington will align with him to avoid bringing military forces into the Taiwan issues, which could only destabilize Northeast Asia.”
The State Department recently stalled a proposed $14 billion arms package for Taiwan, a move that Trump said he would underscore with Xi.
“President Xi would like us not to. And I’ll have that discussion,” Trump told reporters at the White House on Monday ahead of the planned trip.
U.S. officials, however, have highlighted last year’s largest-ever arms sale to Taiwan, valued at approximately $11 billion, as a sign of Washington’s commitment to Taiwan.
The war in Iran previously forced a postponement of the high-stakes summit in Beijing, which had originally been scheduled for six weeks ago.
Trump and Xi met in the Chinese capital on Friday for a welcome ceremony steeped in pageantry, featuring a 21-gun salute and crowds of children waving U.S. and Chinese flags, followed by bilateral talks, a tour of the Temple of Heaven and a state banquet.
But the trip unfolds against a continued air of crisis and uncertainty around Iran. The fragile ceasefire between Washington and Tehran teeters on collapse, while the Strait of Hormuz remains effectively closed.
According to a White House readout, Trump and Xi agreed that the Strait of Hormuz must remain open, and both leaders rejected any effort by Iran to impose tolls on passage through the vital waterway.
In a subsequent interview with Fox News, Trump said that Xi had signaled interest in facilitating the reopening of the strait.
“President Xi would like to see a deal made,” Trump asserted. “Anybody that buys that much oil has obviously got some sort of relationship with them.”
The president also claimed that Xi had assured him during their talks that China would not supply military equipment to Iran, noting that it was “a big statement.”
Tanya Noury is a reporter for Military Times and Defense News, with coverage focusing on the White House and Pentagon.