Xi Warns Trump Over Taiwan at Beijing Summit
CNBC reported Thursday that Chinese President Xi Jinping issued a pointed warning to U.S. President Donald Trump at the opening of a two-day Beijing summit. Taiwan, Xi said, remained the single most consequential fault line in the bilateral relationship.
Taiwan Dominates the Opening Session
Xi told Trump that failing to handle Taiwan carefully would push the two countries toward “clashes and even conflicts.” He framed the issue starkly, describing Taiwan independence and stability in the Taiwan Strait as fundamentally incompatible goals. His remarks, carried by Chinese state outlet Xinhua, came as the two leaders held their first formal session at the Great Hall of the People.
Trump did not address a reporter’s question on Taiwan while standing alongside Xi. A White House readout of the bilateral meeting did not mention Taiwan at all, instead characterising the session as centred on expanding economic cooperation.
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Bessent Signals Trump Is Resolute
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent appeared on CNBC’s Squawk Box Thursday morning and sought to reassure markets. Trump, Bessent said, fully grasped the sensitivities around Taiwan and was “very, very resolute in his answers.” He added that further clarity from the president was expected in the coming days.
Some China analysts have raised concerns that Trump’s freewheeling speaking style could produce an off-script remark that Beijing might interpret to its own advantage.
Background: The Taiwan Strait and the ‘Thucydides Trap’
Xi used the summit opening to invoke the so-called Thucydides Trap, the theory that conflict between a rising power and an established one is historically near-inevitable. He asked whether the two countries could avoid that fate, framing the question as a shared responsibility.
Beijing has long maintained that Taiwan is sovereign Chinese territory. Taiwan’s governing party rejects that position. Washington has historically acknowledged Beijing’s stance without endorsing it, while sustaining robust unofficial ties with Taipei.
Also Read: What the Thucydides Trap Means for U.S.-China Policy
Trade, Energy and Business Leaders Also on the Agenda
Beyond Taiwan, the two sides found common ground on energy. Xi signalled interest in boosting Chinese purchases of U.S. oil, partly to reduce China’s reliance on the Strait of Hormuz. Both leaders agreed the strait must remain open and free of tolls. Expanded purchases of American agricultural goods were also discussed.
Trump brought a delegation of senior U.S. business leaders to Beijing. At a state banquet held in his honour, those executives pledged to deepen bilateral commercial ties. Trump described Xi as a “friend” and called the relationship one of the most consequential in modern history. The summit continues through Friday.
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