Xi Jinping met Donald Trump on Thursday in Beijing with pageantry and, in remarks before and after the closed-door talks, a sharper emphasis on Taiwan—an issue that China and the United States have repeatedly blamed on each other for escalating risk.
The leaders met for about two hours behind closed doors at the Great Hall of the People after China staged a formal welcoming ceremony that included booming cannons, music playing “The Star-Spangled Banner” and China’s national anthem, and hundreds of schoolchildren jumping and waving flowers and American and Chinese flags. Before entering the meeting, Trump told Xi, “You’re a great leader,” according to a brief exchange described before the talks began, and said he believed the U.S.-China relationship “is going to be better than ever before.”
In the same context, China’s foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said Xi told Trump that “the Taiwan question is the most important issue in China-U.S. relations.” Mao added that if the issue was “handled properly,” the bilateral relationship would enjoy “overall stability,” but otherwise “the two countries will have clashes and even conflicts,” placing the relationship “in great jeopardy,” according to a post on X attributed to Mao.
The Taiwan warning marked an unusually forceful tone from Xi, and it appeared alongside a more optimistic public posture from Trump. Xi, in his opening public remarks, expressed hope that the U.S. and China could avoid conflict and raised whether the two countries could “transcend the ‘Thucydides Trap’ and forge a new model for relations between major powers.” Xi’s use of the phrase was noteworthy because it was presented alongside Trump’s public optimism for the relationship, while Rubio later sought to underline continuity in the U.S. position.
Rubio, traveling with Trump, said U.S. policy toward Taiwan was “unchanged” but warned that it would be “a terrible mistake” for China to take Taiwan by force. Speaking in an interview with NBC News, Rubio said: “They always raise it on their side. We always make clear our position, and we move on to the other topics,” a formulation that framed Taiwan as a recurring point of contention within a broader set of talks.
After the closed-door meeting, Xi took Trump to tour the Temple of Heaven, then hosted a state banquet. Xi used his evening toast to say he and Trump had kept U.S.-China relations “generally stable” in what he described as a turbulent world, adding that “Achieving the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation and making America great again can go hand in hand.” Trump, in his toast, called the visit “a great honor” and said matters “all good for the United States and China” were discussed.
The White House readout of the earlier meetings did not mention Taiwan directly, but it said both sides agreed that the Strait of Hormuz must remain open as part of efforts related to the war in Iran. The strait’s closure has stranded tankers and driven up energy prices, a concern that has also been part of the backdrop to Trump’s domestic political calculations as midterm elections approach.
Trump told Fox News’ Sean Hannity that Xi said during their conversations that he “would like to be of help” in negotiating an end to the Iran war and reopening the Strait of Hormuz for oil shipments. The report also said the White House indicated that Xi opposed any implementation of tolls on vessels crossing the strait—an idea Iran has proposed—and said China was interested in potentially purchasing more U.S. oil to reduce dependence on Gulf oil.
While the summit’s public tone emphasized diplomatic symbolism, the talks also intersected with disputes over trade and security cooperation. Taiwan officials reacted after the meeting, with Michelle Lee, a spokesperson for the island’s premier, telling reporters that Taiwan was grateful for Washington’s “long-term support” and that the U.S. had “also repeatedly reiterated” its “firm and clear position of support for Taiwan.”
On trade, the White House assessment said both leaders discussed ways to enhance economic cooperation, including expanding market access for American businesses in China and increasing Chinese investment into U.S. industries. It also said the talks included efforts to stem fentanyl precursor chemicals entering the United States and to increase Chinese purchases of U.S. agricultural products. Trump told Fox News that Xi indicated a commitment to buying 200 jets from Boeing, and the U.S. also sought progress that administration officials said could include extending a trade truce reached last year to calm tariffs threats.
The cluster and its reporting left open how much—if any—progress the leaders made on the most contentious topics. In particular, it remained unclear whether Trump persuaded Xi to press harder on Iran-related issues, with the White House framing the discussion around maintaining access through the Strait of Hormuz and continuing negotiations amid a conflict that has dominated Trump’s domestic agenda.