Chinese President Xi Jinping warned President Trump that mishandling Taiwan could lead to “clashes and even conflicts,” according to a readout from the Chinese foreign ministry after their meeting in Beijing. The leaders met for a summit aimed at stabilizing ties after last year’s trade war and addressing other global flashpoints such as the fight over the Strait of Hormuz amid tensions with Iran.
The closed-door bilateral session ran about two hours and 15 minutes. The White House described the meeting as “good,” and later at a state banquet Mr. Trump said he invited Xi and his wife to visit the White House on Sept. 24. Several U.S. business leaders joined portions of the talks; American CEOs, including figures from major technology firms, appeared alongside U.S. officials during parts of the visit. The White House said the discussions covered ways to boost economic cooperation, expand U.S. market access in China and increase Chinese investment in U.S. industries.
Chinese media said Xi made Taiwan the central point of his message. A statement posted by the foreign ministry quoted him as saying the Taiwan question is the most important issue in U.S.-China ties and that if it is handled properly, bilateral relations will be stable; if not, the two countries could face clashes or worse. Xi also argued that Taiwan independence and cross-Strait peace are fundamentally incompatible and framed safeguarding stability across the Taiwan Strait as a major common interest for both sides.
The White House readout did not mention Taiwan. Beijing has long insisted on eventual reunification with Taiwan and has not ruled out force; the U.S. supplies Taiwan with military assistance and opposes unilateral changes to the status quo, while historically leaving ambiguous whether it would intervene militarily.
Taiwanese officials and experts have expressed concern that U.S. security support for the island might be subject to negotiation as Washington and Beijing seek broader accommodation. Those anxieties were underscored by the prominence of the Taiwan warning in the Chinese statement, even as the U.S. focused public messaging on trade and economic cooperation.
At the state banquet both leaders exchanged compliments and sought to emphasize the importance of steady relations. Xi stressed the global significance of China-U.S. ties, while Mr. Trump described the talks as productive and highlighted his personal rapport with Xi, noting a desire to expand commercial links.
On trade and the economy, China’s state media quoted Xi as calling economic ties mutually beneficial and welcoming the positive outcomes from recent trade and economic teams’ talks. He urged equal-footed consultations where disagreements exist and encouraged maintaining the momentum toward greater cooperation. The White House said the leaders discussed expanding American business access to the Chinese market and boosting Chinese investment in U.S. sectors.
A number of U.S. executives traveled to Beijing and met Chinese leaders; attendees included top figures from major technology companies that rely on China as a critical market. Those companies are also at the center of debates over advanced chip sales and technology transfer.
Iran and the Strait of Hormuz were also on the agenda, the White House said. Both sides agreed the strait must remain open to protect global energy flows. Xi reportedly voiced opposition to any militarization of the waterway or attempts to extract a toll for passage and expressed interest in buying more U.S. oil to lessen China’s dependence on shipments through the strait. U.S. officials emphasized that both countries agree Iran should not obtain a nuclear weapon.
U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent observed that China has a strong interest in reopening the strait because a significant share of China’s energy comes from the Gulf. Senators and other U.S. officials said they expect Iran to be a topic in ongoing discussions with Chinese counterparts and warned that Chinese support for Iran would harm bilateral ties.
The summit comes after a rocky period in which the two countries imposed steep tariffs and clashed over rare earths, semiconductors, visas, and other trade and security issues. Since then, both sides have eased some tariffs and taken steps such as pausing restrictions on certain exports. While a comprehensive trade deal has not been announced, officials on both sides said they seek stability and want to avoid another round of damaging tit-for-tat measures.
U.S. delegation members included trade and security officials and corporate leaders; U.S. trade representatives have discussed mechanisms to coordinate trade talks and open markets. Administration officials also signaled plans to raise topics such as AI governance, with the U.S. presenting itself as a leader in AI and proposing discussions on guardrails with China.
The meeting was the first in-person session between the two leaders since October and the first visit by a U.S. president to China since 2017. The day began with a formal welcome ceremony and concluded with the leaders attending a banquet, after which both emphasized an interest in more predictable, businesslike relations going forward. Despite the upbeat tone on trade, Xi’s blunt warning on Taiwan underlined a major area of unresolved tension that could threaten broader cooperation if not addressed to Beijing’s satisfaction.