Chinese President Xi Jinping and US President Donald Trump began high-stakes talks in Beijing on Thursday, with both sides aiming to maintain stability in bilateral relations during the two-day summit.
According to the White House and Chinese state media, the two leaders held a closed-door meeting lasting about two hours on Thursday morning. Trump is scheduled to depart Beijing shortly after midday Friday following another private session with Xi. However, no major breakthroughs are anticipated on contentious issues including the Iran conflict, trade disputes, technology restrictions and Taiwan.
Trump is seeking to prioritise trade discussions, including expanding Chinese purchases of US agricultural goods and commercial aircraft. He also hopes to establish a mechanism to manage disagreements and avoid another trade war similar to the one triggered by US tariff increases last year.
During the meeting, Xi warned that the Taiwan issue remains highly sensitive in China-US ties. According to China’s state-run Xinhua News Agency, Xi told Trump that proper handling of Taiwan would help maintain overall stability in relations, while mishandling the issue could lead to confrontation and seriously damage bilateral ties.
The Trump administration approved an $11 billion arms package for Taiwan in December, although deliveries have yet to begin. Beijing considers the self-governed island part of its territory.
Speaking to CNBC, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent declined to detail Washington’s response to China’s concerns over US arms sales to Taiwan, saying Trump would address the matter publicly later Thursday or Friday. He added that the president fully understands the issue and would respond firmly.
Meanwhile, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Trump raised concerns about Iran during talks with Xi but did not seek China’s assistance.
In an interview with NBC News, Rubio said both countries agreed Iran should not obtain nuclear weapons. He also noted that Chinese officials expressed opposition to militarisation of the Strait of Hormuz and rejected the idea of imposing tolls there.
Global financial markets reacted cautiously to the summit developments. Wall Street futures pointed higher on Thursday following record highs reached by the S&P 500 and Nasdaq a day earlier.
Oil prices remained largely unchanged amid continued uncertainty surrounding the Iran conflict and the future of the Strait of Hormuz, a key global shipping route. The White House later said Trump and Xi had discussed strengthening economic cooperation and agreed the strategic waterway should remain open.