Xi Jinping warns Trump that Taiwan is non-negotiable

BeijingKind words, promises of economic agreements and warnings about the risk of a conflict over Taiwan summarize the first face-to-face meeting between the leaders of the two world powers. Xi Jinping and Donald Trump have striven to show détente and cordiality in their first meeting in Beijing after almost a decade. From gestures they moved to words, and while Trump assured that Xi Jinping is a great leader, the Chinese president defended that both countries should be partners and not rivals.

The Chinese president showed willingness to reach trade agreements, but has not hesitated to mark Taiwan as a red line. Xi Jinping has warned Trump that a disagreement over the island could lead to “clash and even conflict”. According to the statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Xi would have warned that "Taiwanese independence and peace in the Taiwan Strait are as irreconcilable as fire and water".

On the other hand, the Chinese leader has insisted on what has already become a mantra of Chinese foreign policy, that "there are no winners" in a trade war. The two countries are now in a truce, agreed last October after the tariff escalation reached rates of 145%.

No major announcements are expected from this summit, but the meeting is expected to set guidelines for stabilizing the relationship between the two powers. In addition to trade issues, the war in Iran and Taiwan have been present in discussions, although highlighted differently by each side. Trump has made no statements on Taiwan; instead, the White House statement highlighted the consensus that the Strait of Hormuz must be reopened, and the Chinese side did not mention Iran.

The two leaders have had a tight schedule. Xi Jinping received Donald Trump on Thursday morning at the foot of the grand staircase of the Great Hall of the People, in Tiananmen Square. The full gala protocol and the courtesies extended to distinguished visitors were deployed. The welcoming committee included children waving flags and chanting greetings, along with a military band that played both anthems. The body language between the two presidents was relaxed upon greeting each other.

In the press conference before the meeting, Donald Trump showed his characteristic style by praising Xi Jinping: "He is a great leader; sometimes people don't like me saying it, but I say it anyway, because it's true" and he predicted that "the relationship between China and the United States will be better than ever." He further added: "It is an honor to be here with you, it is an honor to be your friend." The Chinese president was more measured and expressed his desire to avoid a conflict between the two powers. He stated that the international community is watching them to see if the two countries "can overcome the so-called Thucydides Trap and create a new paradigm for relations between great powers."

The Thucydides Trap is a theory that holds that conflict is inevitable when a rising power, which in this case would be China, challenges an established one, the United States. Xi Jinping's reference is not accidental, as in a speech with Obama in 2015 and another in 2024 during the Biden administration, Xi denied that confrontation was inevitable.

The conversations between the two leaders and their extensive entourage lasted more than two hours. Executives from large companies accompanying Trump entered the meeting room, but did not attend the entire meeting. According to the Chinese press, Xi Jinping assured them that "China's doors to the outside world will open wider and wider" and that "American companies will enjoy even more promising prospects in China." Donald Trump's arrival in China, surrounded by the leaders of major technology companies, figures as media-savvy and influential as Elon Musk or Tim Cook, has underscored how the American president has wanted to focus the trip on economic agreements.

"China is beautiful"

After the meeting, the visit returned to the realm of public relations and Xi accompanied Trump on a visit to the Temple of Heaven, a complex of temples where the emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties made offerings to achieve good harvests and maintain the harmony of the kingdom. The site, declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is one of the symbols of the capital. Unfortunately, the weather did not accompany the stroll. The heat, humidity, and fog caused by high pollution have tarnished the visit. Even so, Trump put on a good show of his good humor and assured that it is "a great place. Incredible. China is beautiful."

Trump traveled accompanied by Secretary of State Marco Rubio; Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth; and Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent, who has been negotiating trade agreements with the Chinese side.

Marco Rubio had been banned from entering China since 2020, having been sanctioned, along with other Americans, for denouncing human rights violations in Xinjiang against the Uyghurs. Chinese diplomacy has resorted to its ancient culture to avoid the problem: it has changed the spelling of Rubio's name in the translation to Chinese characters, so he does not appear on the list of sanctioned individuals. Rubio stated that the conversations had been "very constructive."

In a statement, the White House described the meeting as "positive" and stated that the two countries agree that the Strait of Hormuz must remain open and that Iran must not possess nuclear weapons. They also highlighted progress in curbing the flow of fentanyl precursors to the United States. In its statement, the Chinese side emphasized warnings about Taiwan and did not specify anything about the conflict with Iran.

The day concluded with a state banquet in the Golden Hall of the Great Hall of the People, the Chinese Parliament building that hosts major political events.