Xi warns Trump: Taiwan mishandling could spark 'extremely dangerous' conflict
Chinese President Xi Jinping warns US counterpart on Taiwan in Beijing summit.
Chinese President Xi Jinping raised the Taiwan question early in his summit with US counterpart Donald Trump on Thursday, warning that any mishandling could lead to conflict and push relations into an 'extremely dangerous situation.' According to state news agency Xinhua, Xi called Taiwan the 'most important' issue in Beijing’s ties with Washington. 'If handled well, bilateral relations can maintain overall stability. If handled poorly, the two countries will face collision or even conflict,' Xi was quoted as saying. He stressed that 'Taiwan independence is fundamentally incompatible with peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait' and urged the US to 'handle the Taiwan issue with utmost caution.'
Analysts noted that Xi’s messaging on Taiwan was tougher in tone than during their last Beijing summit in 2017. They suggested that managing this issue would be the primary factor for ensuring what Xi called 'constructive strategic stability' between Beijing and Washington for at least the next three years. The warning comes amid heightened tensions over Taiwan, with Beijing viewing it as a core sovereignty issue and Washington maintaining unofficial ties with the self-ruled island under the Taiwan Relations Act.
- Xi warned Trump that mishandling Taiwan could cause 'collision or even conflict' and push US-China ties into an 'extremely dangerous situation.'
- Xi described Taiwan as the 'most important' issue in bilateral relations, urging 'utmost caution' from the US.
- Analysts say Xi's tone was tougher than in 2017, and managing Taiwan will be key to 'constructive strategic stability' for the next three years.
Why It Matters
Direct Xi warning raises stakes for US-China relations, with Taiwan as a potential flashpoint for global conflict.