BEIJING — Chinese President Xi Jinping warned Thursday of “clashes and even conflicts” with the United States over Taiwan, cautioning President Donald Trump that tensions over the Beijing-claimed island could jeopardize ties between the world’s two biggest economies.
The stark warning was delivered as the two leaders met for high-stakes talks in Beijing at the start of their two-day summit. It contrasted with the public praise offered by both men as they arrived for a grand welcome ceremony at the Great Hall of the People in the Chinese capital.
The rival superpowers entered the summit divided over thorny issues including Taiwan, trade disputes and the Iran war. But after a turbulent few months when Trump returned to office last year, Washington and Beijing have sought to prioritize stability in a relationship often described as the world’s most consequential.
One potential threat to that balance is Taiwan, which Xi stressed to Trump is the most important issue in U.S.-China relations, according to a Chinese readout of the meeting.
If the issue is handled properly, the relationship can remain “generally stable,” said the readout from China’s foreign ministry spokesperson.
“Otherwise, the two countries will have clashes and even conflicts, putting the entire relationship in great jeopardy,” Xi is said to have told Trump.
A U.S. readout of the talks has not yet been released.
Taiwan was expected to be a top agenda item during the two-day state visit by Trump, the first by a U.S. president since he last went to China during his first term in 2017.
Citing past comments by Trump, U.S. lawmakers and others had raised concerns that he could make concessions to Xi on Taiwan, a self-ruling democracy that Beijing has vowed to control by force if necessary.
Both leaders are meanwhile seeking to extend a fragile trade truce reached last October when they met in South Korea.
Trump was all smiles earlier as he arrived at the Great Hall of the People, an ornate building that borders Tiananmen Square, greeting Xi during an arrival ceremony that included leaping schoolchildren and a military honor band.
There was no “big, fat hug” from Xi as Trump promised last month, but the pair had an extended handshake and Trump later offered him several warm pats on the arm as they toured the plaza.
The two leaders exchanged praise in their opening remarks, with Trump hailing their “fantastic relationship.” He said he had “such respect” for Xi and China, praising him as a “great leader.”
“We’ve gotten along when there were difficulties, we worked it out,” Trump said.
Xi said the world had “reached a new crossroads” and that the U.S. and China had a responsibility to work together.
“We should be partners, not rivals, achieve success for one another, prosper together and forge a correct way for major countries of the new era to get along with each other,” he said.
Xi, who pushed back against Trump’s tariffs last year in an escalating tit-for-tat, said the U.S. and China had made progress on trade talks and repeated past comments that “trade wars have no winner,” according to the readout.
He said he welcomed the “generally balanced and positive outcomes” achieved in the latest round of talks, which were held Wednesday in South Korea and led by Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng.
“China-U.S. economic and trade ties are mutually beneficial and win-win in nature,” Xi said. “Where disagreements and frictions exist, equal-footed consultation is the only right choice.”
During their public remarks, neither leader mentioned the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran, which has loomed large over their summit and caused it to be postponed by six weeks. Trump is expected to seek greater assistance from China, which has close ties with Iran, in bringing an end to the conflict.
The bilateral meeting ended after about two hours and 15 minutes, after which the two leaders made a brief visit to the Temple of Heaven, a historic Beijing site from the imperial age.
Trump and Xi posed briefly for a photo below the steps of the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests, part of a vast architectural masterpiece that dates to 1420. Asked about the talks, Trump said they were “great.”
“Great place, incredible. China is beautiful,” he said.
He did not respond to repeated questions about what he and Xi may have said on Taiwan. Like most countries, the U.S. has no formal relations with Taiwan, but it is the island’s biggest international backer and arms supplier.
Trump administration officials have said repeatedly that U.S. policy on Taiwan is not expected to change. The Taiwan government said earlier this week that while it was confident that was the case, it was also preparing for possible “surprises.”
Trump is joined on the trip by a delegation of American CEOs including Elon Musk, whose EV maker Tesla has a production facility in Shanghai.
Others include Apple’s Tim Cook and Nvidia’s Jensen Huang, a last-minute addition to the trip who joined the delegation at a refueling stop in Alaska. Boeing’s Kelly Ortberg is also on the trip, with the White House previewing a possible aerospace deal, along with other executives from the finance and agriculture industries.
Trump said ahead of his Wednesday arrival in Beijing that his “very first request” to Xi would be to grant American companies greater access to China, one of the biggest U.S. trading partners.
“They look forward to trade and doing business, and it’s going to be totally reciprocal on our behalf,” Trump said of the CEOs.
The business executives are expected to join Trump and Xi later Thursday for a lavish state banquet. The two leaders will meet again Friday morning before Trump returns to Washington.
