President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping began a critical summit in Beijing on Thursday, addressing key issues such as trade, tariffs, Taiwan, and Iran. The meeting is scheduled to continue until Friday.

Xi Warns Trump on Taiwan

Xi stressed the significance of the Taiwan issue, terming it the "most critical matter" in bilateral relations, according to the South China Morning Post (SCMP), citing state media. He stated that if the Taiwan issue is managed appropriately, bilateral relations can maintain stability. However, he warned that mishandling could lead to conflict, pushing the China-U.S. relationship into an "extremely dangerous" situation. Xi urged "extreme caution" from Washington and stressed that "Taiwan independence" stands in direct conflict with maintaining peace in the Taiwan Strait.

Can US-China Avoid the 'Thucydides Trap'?

Xi emphasized that US–China economic ties are based on "mutual benefit and win-win," stressing that equal consultation is the right way to manage differences. He welcomed recent progress in trade talks, calling the outcome beneficial for both countries and the world. Xi urged both sides to maintain positive momentum and reaffirmed that "China's door will only open wider," encouraging deeper cooperation with U.S. firms.

Xi also raised a key question: whether the two countries could avoid the "Thucydides Trap" — a concept popularized by Harvard professor Graham Allison that describes how tensions between a rising and ruling power have historically often led to war, as reported by CNBC.

'Resolved' Many Issues, Says Trump

Trump said U.S.-China relations would be "better than ever before" and praised his communication with Xi, saying the two leaders had "resolved many important issues" together, per the SCMP. He added that he was willing to work with Xi to "strengthen communication and cooperation," "properly manage our differences," and "usher in the best US-China relationship in history."

According to the Financial Times, Trump said his "very first request" to Xi would be for China to create a more favorable environment for major American companies. Trump also plans to discuss the Strait of Hormuz crisis, with Washington hoping Beijing — a major buyer of Iranian oil — can pressure Tehran to help reopen the vital waterway.

Trump-Xi Expand Dialogue

Xi called for "expanding cooperation" between the U.S. and China across economic and trade relations, health, agriculture, tourism, cultural exchanges, and law enforcement, according to SCMP. The two leaders also discussed the Middle East, the Ukraine war, and the Korean peninsula.

Meanwhile, Trump concluded his visit to Beijing's Temple of Heaven, telling reporters the talks went "Great" and praising the country, saying, "China's beautiful."

Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by a MarketDash editor.

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