Chinese President Xi Jinping warned President Donald J. Trump that Taiwan is the central issue between China and the U.S., and that there could be conflict between the two if it is not “handled properly.”
| PULSE POINTS |
❓ WHAT HAPPENED: Chinese President Xi Jinping warned President Donald J. Trump, who is currently in China for a state visit, of potential “clashes and even conflicts” over Taiwan, if policy concerning the island is not “handled properly.” Taiwan is claimed by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) regime, despite the fact that it has never controlled it, and the U.S. officially recognizes that the island is part of China, although in practice it recognizes its de facto independence and provides extensive unofficial support. 📰 DETAIL: The U.S. aimed to use the meeting between Xi and Trump on Thursday to stabilize the U.S.-China trading relationship and discuss a potential role for Beijing in ending the war in Iran, which is a major supplier of oil to China. The Chinese side stressed in their summary of the meeting that, from Beijing’s perspective, “the Taiwan question is the most important issue in China-U.S. relations.” Notably, the White House did not mention Taiwan in its own summary of the meeting, instead stressing the importance of opening the Strait of Hormuz, improving American access to the Chinese market, and increasing Chinese investment in America. 💬 KEY QUOTE: “[T]he Taiwan question is the most important issue in China-U.S. relations. 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.” – Xi Jinping 🎯 IMPACT: The CCP’s allusions to “clashes and even conflicts” with the U.S. over Taiwan underscore its determination to take control of the island, even at the risk of a military confrontation with the United States. Admiral John Aquilino, then-Commander of the Indo-Pacific Command, told the House Armed Services Committee in March 2024 that “All indications point to the PLA (People’s Liberation Army) meeting President Xi Jinping’s directive to be ready to invade Taiwan by 2027.” |
President Xi stressed to President Trump that the Taiwan question is the most important issue in China-U.S. relations. If it is handled properly, the bilateral relationship will enjoy overall stability. Otherwise, the two countries will have clashes and even conflicts, putting… pic.twitter.com/gqji6lEfL7
— Mao Ning 毛宁 (@SpoxCHN_MaoNing) May 14, 2026
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