Trump China visit live: Xi Jinping warns US and China could ‘come into conflict’ if Taiwan issue mishandled, state media reports
Xi warns Trump China and US could ‘come into conflict’ if Taiwan issue mishandled – report
Xi Jinping has told Donald Trump their countries could come into conflict if the issue over self-ruled Taiwan claimed by Beijing is mishandled, Chinese state media said.
“The Taiwan question is the most important issue in China-US relations,” Xi said at their summit, according to state broadcaster CCTV.
If mishandled, the two nations could collide or even come into conflict, pushing the entire China-US relationship into a highly perilous situation.”
Chinese state-run news agency Xinhua quoted Xi as telling Trump that if the Taiwan issue was not handled well, the two countries would clash or even come into conflict, pushing China-US relations into “a very dangerous place”.
Key events
Xi tells US business leaders China ‘will open wider’ doors to world – report
Xi Jinping has told a delegation of US business executives that China will “open wider” to the world.
“China’s doors to the outside world will open wider and wider… American companies will enjoy even brighter prospects in China,” Xi was quoted by Chinese state media as saying during the US-China summit in Beijing on Thursday.
Tesla chief Elon MuskNvidia boss Jensen Huang and Apple head Tim Cook are among the contingent of business leaders who reportedly travelled to Beijing with Donald Trump.
On the streets of Beijing there has been heightened security for the Xi-Trump summit – as well as scepticism about the US.
Yaoji Chaogan, a no-frills canteen next to Beijing’s historic Drum and Bell towers, once proudly displayed photographs of Joe Bidenwhose 2011 visit to the eatery when he was US vice-president went viral in China. But evidence of him stopping in was removed during redecorations a few years ago, and a visit from a US leader is no longer something to boast about, writes Amy Hawkins in Beijing.
“If US politicians were really smart, they wouldn’t try to hold China back,” Liu Cheng47, said at the restaurant on Wednesday.
Whoever was US president, Liu said, “it’s more or less the same for ordinary people like us”.
Before they take office, US presidents may say very extreme things, but once they are in office they have no choice but to face the reality of China’s existence.”
He said the US was struggling to accept the fact of China’s rise. The US “sees China has a threat … I think it will probably take about 10 years for the US to accept it”.
Liu Chunleia 36-year-old taxi driver, said the issue of Taiwanese independence was driving a wedge between the two superpowers. But he welcomed that Trump was willing to visit Beijing.
It will definitely help ease China-US relations a little … it shows that his attitude towards China is not hostile.”
Others expressed scepticism, with one user on the social media platform Weibo writing:
There’s no point discussing anything with Trump. He’ll change his mind once he gets back. What he says in the morning can also change by the afternoon.”
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Donald Trump and Xi Jinping have visited Beijing’s historic Temple of Heaven after concluding their high-stakes talks.
The two leaders reportedly arrived at the world heritage site on Thursday shortly after 1pm (0500 GMT), where Trump told media that “China’s beautiful”.
The Temple of Heaven is a religious complex dating from the Ming dynasty in the 15th century, and has been closed to visitors since Tuesday ahead of Trump’s tour.
The temple is a significant monument in the history of Beijing and Washington. Henry Kissinger visited it on a secret visit to China in 1971, a trip that paved the way for the US and China to establish formal diplomatic relations.
Curious about what is happening in Beijing?
Take a look at our gallery on the Xi-Trump summit, replete with scenes from the country’s capital.
Here are three of them:
Donald Trump and Xi Jinping wrapped up their meeting after about two hours of talks covering Taiwan, trade and other differences in US-China relations.
The meeting was behind closed doors and the White House didn’t offer an official readout afterwards, but China’s official Xinhua news agency said Xi told Trump that if Taiwan was not handled correctly, the US and China risked “clashes and even conflicts, putting the entire relationship in great jeopardy”.
That followed public opening remarks at the Great Hall of the People in which Trump was full of praise for Xi, saying “you’re a great leader” and that “it’s an honour to be your friend”.
Xi was darker in his opening remarks, expressing hope the US and China could avoid conflict while saying that history and the world were asking “whether the two countries can transcend the “Thucydides Trap” (see earlier post) and forge a new model for relations between major powers”, the AP reported.
A White House official is also confirming that Trump and Xi’s summit meeting has finished.
Taiwan is reportedly saying the US has “reaffirmed its clear and firm support” for the island for the island.
The Xi-Trump meeting has now concludedChinese state media channel CCTV is saying.
The meeting between Trump and Xi and their delegations is still continuing in Beijing’s Great Hall of the People, a White House official has been quoted as saying.
Xi warns Trump China and US could ‘come into conflict’ if Taiwan issue mishandled – report
Xi Jinping has told Donald Trump their countries could come into conflict if the issue over self-ruled Taiwan claimed by Beijing is mishandled, Chinese state media said.
“The Taiwan question is the most important issue in China-US relations,” Xi said at their summit, according to state broadcaster CCTV.
If mishandled, the two nations could collide or even come into conflict, pushing the entire China-US relationship into a highly perilous situation.”
Chinese state-run news agency Xinhua quoted Xi as telling Trump that if the Taiwan issue was not handled well, the two countries would clash or even come into conflict, pushing China-US relations into “a very dangerous place”.
