Xi Warns Trump Taiwan Could Trigger Direct U.S.-China Conflict at Beijing Summit

Chinese President Xi Jinping warned U.S. President Donald Trump that tensions over Taiwan could push the world’s two largest powers toward direct confrontation, as the two leaders opened a high-stakes summit in Beijing focused on trade, security, and multiple global conflicts.

The talks, held at the Great Hall of the People, marked the first visit by a U.S. president to China since Trump’s previous trip in 2017. Although both sides publicly emphasized cooperation and stability, Taiwan immediately emerged as the most sensitive issue on the agenda.

“The Taiwan question is the most important issue in China-U.S. relations,” Xi said during the closed-door meeting, according to Chinese state media. “If mishandled, the two nations could collide or even come into conflict, pushing the entire China-U.S. relationship into a highly perilous situation.”

China considers Taiwan part of its territory and has repeatedly vowed that the island must eventually come under Beijing’s control. The United States officially recognizes Beijing diplomatically, but under American law continues supplying Taiwan with weapons for self-defense. Washington’s recent approval of arms sales worth more than 10 billion dollars has further angered Beijing.

The warning from Xi came as both leaders attempted to stabilize relations after months of escalating tensions over trade, technology, and geopolitical disputes. Trump, standing beside Xi during the ceremonial welcome, struck a noticeably warmer tone. “We’re going to have a fantastic future together,” he said, describing Xi as both “a great leader” and “a friend.”

Xi responded by saying the two countries should avoid rivalry and seek coexistence instead. “Cooperation benefits both sides, while confrontation harms both. We should be partners and not rivals,” he said, while also referencing the so-called “Thucydides Trap,” the theory that conflict often follows when a rising power challenges an established one.

The summit lasted more than two hours and covered a wide range of international issues, including the war in Iran, the conflict in Ukraine, North Korea, tariffs, artificial intelligence, and global trade. Chinese officials later confirmed that both leaders exchanged views on the Middle East crisis and the Korean peninsula during the talks.

Iran emerged as another major focus of the meeting. The Trump administration is reportedly seeking Beijing’s help in pressuring Tehran toward a deal with Washington. China remains Iran’s largest oil customer and maintains close economic ties with the Iranian government despite Western sanctions.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said before the summit that Washington hoped China would take a more active role in reducing tensions. “It’s in China’s interest to resolve this,” Rubio said, warning that instability around the Strait of Hormuz threatens Asian energy security more than any other region.

Trade discussions also occupied a central place during the visit. Trump is pushing for new agreements involving agricultural exports, aircraft purchases, and broader market access for American companies. The summit comes after a turbulent period in U.S.-China economic relations that saw tariffs sharply reduce trade volumes between the two countries.

Xi attempted to reassure American business leaders accompanying Trump that China remains open to foreign investment. “China’s doors to the outside world will open wider and wider,” Xi told executives including Elon Musk, Tim Cook, and Jensen Huang. Musk later described the meetings as “wonderful,” while Huang said the two presidents had been “incredible.”

China also appeared to signal goodwill ahead of negotiations by renewing export licenses for hundreds of American beef-processing plants. At the same time, major disputes remain unresolved, including rare earth export restrictions, AI competition, and the future of tariff arrangements reached during previous talks.

The summit itself was staged with heavy symbolism. Trump was welcomed with military honors, a brass band, cannon fire, and schoolchildren waving Chinese and American flags while chanting greetings in Mandarin. The two leaders later visited Beijing’s historic Temple of Heaven and were expected to attend a formal state banquet before further private discussions on Friday.

Despite the warm public atmosphere, few observers expect immediate breakthroughs. The central goal of the summit appears to be preventing relations between Washington and Beijing from deteriorating further at a time when disagreements over Taiwan, trade, and global security continue to deepen.