TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) warned President Trump on Thursday (May 14) that U.S.-China relations could enter an "extremely dangerous place" if Washington mishandles Taiwan. The blunt message, delivered during their first face-to-face talks in Beijing, signaled that Xi may press Trump to delay or reduce a pending US$14 billion (NT$442 billion) arms sale to the island democracy.
The warning came as the two leaders met at the Great Hall of the People (人民大會堂) for a two-hour summit — the first visit by an American president to China since 2017. Xi told Trump that the Taiwan question "is the most important issue in China-U.S. relations," according to Xinhua, China's state news agency.
"If it is handled properly, the bilateral relationship will enjoy overall stability," Xi said. "Otherwise, the two countries will have clashes and even conflicts, putting the entire relationship in great jeopardy." He added that "Taiwan independence" and cross-strait peace are "as irreconcilable as fire and water."
The summit comes at a moment of acute vulnerability for Trump. A Reuters/Ipsos poll released May 11 found that 53 percent of Americans believe the Trump administration lacks a clear strategy in Iran, while 75 percent hold the administration responsible for surging gas prices tied to the conflict. Experts say the political pressure gives Xi significant leverage in negotiations over trade, Iran and Taiwan.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth accompanied Trump to Beijing — the first time a Pentagon chief has joined a presidential visit to China since Nixon in 1972. Testifying before Congress on Monday, Hegseth said decisions on Taiwan arms sales "will be made by the president himself."
The New York Times reported that Xi could persuade Trump to delay approval or ultimately reduce the Taiwan arms sale. Xi had warned Trump in a February phone call to handle the matter with "extreme caution," the newspaper said. U.S. officials told the Times earlier this year that the administration held off on approving the latest sale to avoid upsetting Xi ahead of the summit.
If Trump discusses U.S. arms sales to Taiwan with Xi, he may be seen as breaching the "six assurances" that President Ronald Reagan gave Taiwan in 1982, the Times noted. Those assurances included a pledge that the United States would not consult with China before selling weapons to the island.
Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (外交部) responded Thursday by calling Beijing "the sole risk to regional peace and stability." The ministry said Taiwan would continue cooperating with the United States and other democracies to ensure regional security. It added that Taiwan and the People's Republic of China "are not subordinate to each other."
Former U.S. Ambassador to China Nicholas Burns, who served under President Joe Biden, warned that a shift in American language on Taiwan could have far-reaching consequences. "If you say that the United States opposes Taiwan independence, it puts all the onus on Taiwan really as being the responsible party in this conflict, which is not the case," Burns told Foreign Affairs.
Such a change "would send shock waves, obviously through the Taiwan leadership, but also to our close allies in the region," Burns said.
Since 1979, Taiwan has received tens of billions of dollars' worth of American arms, including F-16 fighter jets, missiles, warships, tanks, air defense systems and artillery units. Some of that arsenal is aging. The United States continues to give political and military support to the island democracy but does not treat it as a full-fledged country.
The distinction between Washington's "one China policy" and Beijing's "one China principle" remains critical. Under U.S. policy, Washington acknowledges China's claim on Taiwan but does not endorse it, leaving the island's status undetermined. Beijing, by contrast, asserts that Taiwan is part of China and that the Communist Party-led government is the sole legitimate authority. ◼ (At time of reporting, US$1 equals approximately NT$31.58)