Trump avoids Taiwan question during Beijing meeting
US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping continued high-level talks in Beijing on Thursday, with discussions focusing on trade, regional tensions, and the future of US-China relations.
The two leaders were later seen touring the Temple of Heaven following meetings at the Great Hall of the People.
When asked by reporters about the talks, Trump replied: “Great, Great place. China is beautiful,” while not responding to a question about whether Taiwan had been discussed.
Earlier in the day, Xi called for cooperation between the two countries and urged both sides to avoid rivalry.
Following the talks, Chinese state media quoted Xi as stressing the importance of the Taiwan issue in bilateral relations.
“The Taiwan issue is the most important issue in China-U.S. relations. If handled properly, bilateral relations can remain generally stable. If handled poorly, the two countries will clash or even come into conflict, pushing the entire China-U.S. relationship into a very dangerous situation,” Xi reportedly said.
Trump’s visit to China runs from May 13 to 15 and marks his second state visit to the country, as well as the first by a US president since 2017. The trip was postponed from April at the request of the United States because of the conflict involving Iran.
The leaders last met in Busan, South Korea, in October, where they agreed to pause an escalating tariffs dispute.
Current trade discussions are expected to focus on extending China’s suspension of export controls on rare earth minerals, alongside possible agreements involving aircraft, agriculture, energy, and wider foreign policy issues, including Iran.
This story is written and edited by the Global South World team, you can contact us here.
