Despite the pompous reception in the Chinese capital, the Asian leader adopted a tough tone on the self-governed island; meeting also discussed trade, war in Iran and Ukraine
The President of China, Xi Jinping, warned this Thursday (14) the leader of the United States, Donald Trump, that any error in relation to Taiwan could bring the two countries into a “conflict”. The declaration marked the long-awaited meeting of superpowers held in Beijing.
On his first visit to the country in almost a decade, the American president was received with a red carpet in the Great Hall of the People, military fanfare, 21 gun salute and children singing welcome.
Apparently delighted with the ceremony, Trump praised the host, calling Xi “great leader” e “amigo”and predicted that the two nations will have “a fantastic future together”.
However, behind closed doors, Xi Jinping’s tone was much less effusive. The Chinese leader stressed that both sides “they should be partners, not rivals”and placed the issue of Taiwan — claimed by Beijing as its territory — at the center of the debate.
“The Taiwan issue is the most important in bilateral relations,” Xi said, according to Chinese state media. “If poorly managed, it could lead to the two nations colliding or even coming into conflict, putting the entire China-US relationship in an extremely dangerous situation,” he added, in the first minutes of a meeting that lasted more than two hours.
The sharp diplomatic contrast comes after years of trade tensions e unresolved geopolitics. Referring to an old political theory about the risks of the rise of a new power against a dominant one, Xi asked: “Can China and the United States transcend the so-called ‘Thucydides Trap’ and forge a new paradigm? Cooperation benefits both, while confrontation harms both.” Since Trump’s last visit to China in 2017, Washington and Beijing have engaged in a intense trade war and differed on several global issues.
Standoff over Taiwan
The island of Taiwan remains the main point of friction. Although the US diplomatically recognizes only Beijing, US law obliges Washington to supply armament for the defense of Taiwan. China, which does not rule out the use of force to regain self-governed democratic territory, intensified military pressure in the region in recent years.
Following Xi’s comments, the government in Taipei reacted, classifying China as the “only risk” to regional peace and highlighting that the US has repeatedly reaffirmed its historic support for the island. On Monday (11), Trump had signaled that he would discuss arms sales to Taiwan with Xi, which represents a change from Washington’s tradition of not consulting Beijing on the issue.
The White House classified the initial talks as “good”, without mentioning Taiwan in the statement. Analysts see Xi’s speech as a strategic move. For Adam Ni, editor of the China Neican newsletter, although this “direct language” is common in Chinese foreign policy, it is atypical coming from the president himself. Chong Ja Ian, from the National University of Singapore, suggests that the requirement indicates that the Chinese see “an opportunity to convince Trump” to make new commitments on the region.
War in Iran and economic interests
In addition to tensions in East Asia, the war involving Iran — an issue that analysts point to as a weak point for Trump and which almost forced him to postpone the trip — guided the negotiations. According to the White House, the leaders agreed that the Strait of Hormuz he must stay open to ensure the “free flow of energy”. The American government also reported that China opposes militarization of the important navigable route or any attempt to collect tolls.
The economic agenda was also highlighted, with Trump showing interest in closing agreements in the agricultural and aerospace sectors. The American delegation included elite businesspeople, such as Elon Musk (Tesla) and Jensen Huang (Nvidia), who participated in part of the meetings. In a nod to the international market, Xi assured executives that “China’s doors will open wider and wider”.
Taking a break from the tense negotiations, the two leaders visited the Temple of Heaven, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the place where ancient Chinese emperors prayed for good harvests. Before the state banquet scheduled for Thursday night, the presidents also discussed the war in Ukrainea North Korea situation and the efforts to extend the tariff truce between the two countries.
