By AFP and Focus | 2026-05-15

BEIJING -- Chinese President Xi Jinping warned his U.S. counterpart Donald Trump that missteps on Taiwan could push their two countries into "conflict," a stark opening salvo as they held a superpower summit in Beijing.

Trump arrived in China on the evening of May 13 and invited Xi to visit the White House in September. The talks on May 14 lasted two hours and 15 minutes.

Xi quickly highlighted the issue of Taiwan -- which Beijing claims as its territory -- and said the two sides "should be partners and not rivals."

"The Taiwan question is the most important issue in China-U.S. relations," Xi said, according to remarks published by Chinese state media shortly after the start of the talks.

"If [it is] mishandled, the two nations could collide or even come into conflict, pushing the entire China-U.S. relationship into a highly perilous situation," he added.

'Blunt' warning

The United States recognizes only Beijing but under U.S law is required to provide weapons to the self-ruled democracy for its defense. China has vowed to bring the island under its control and has not ruled out using force, ramping up military pressure in recent years.

Adam Ni, editor of newsletter China Neican, told AFP that while Xi's "blunt language" was not uncommon in party state media, it was unusual coming from the leader himself.

China has been "signalling a desire for U.S. compromise on Taiwan," the National University of Singapore's Chong Ja Ian told AFP. Xi's demand could suggest "they see some opportunity to convince Trump," he said.

Taipei in response called China the "sole risk" to regional peace and insisted "the U.S. side has repeatedly reaffirmed its clear and firm support."

No change on Taiwan

Washington gave no indication of shifting its long-standing position on Taiwan.

After both sides reiterated their established positions, the conversation moved on with "a clear mutual understanding" of each side's stance, a senior administration official told CBS News.

Washington's policy remains unchanged, Secretary of State Marco Rubio stressed.

"It's been pretty consistent across multiple presidential administrations, and remains consistent now," Rubio told NBC News.

"Any forced change in the status quo" over Taiwan "would be bad for both countries," he said.

U.S. arms sales to Taiwan "did not feature prominently" in summit talks May 14, he added.

U.S. unlikely to pressure China over Iran

Trump said before the trip that he planned to discuss U.S. arms sales to Taiwan with Xi. His comment raised speculation that Washington could use the issue to encourage Beijing to pressure Iran into accepting a deal to end the US-Israeli war with Iran. The war began February 28.

However, Ryan Hass, a China and Taiwan analyst at the Washington-based Brookings Institution, dismissed that possibility.

"More likely, both leaders will affirm their shared interest in stabilizing relations and use [economic and] commercial deals to demonstrate progress," he tweeted.

Beijing and Washington "don't have a consensus yet" on the issue of arms sales, Tzeng Wei-feng of National Chengchi University's Institute of International Relations in Taipei told AFP.

Human rights concerns

Trump raised the case of jailed Hong Kong media tycoon Jimmy Lai during the talks with Xi, said Rubio.

"The president always raises that case," Rubio said, adding that Washington hoped for "a positive response."

Aboard Air Force One, Trump May 15 said he also asked about imprisoned Chinese pastor Jin Mingri.