Xi Warns Trump $11 Billion Taiwan Arms Package Risks Clashes as Leaders Seek Trade, Hormuz Openings
Updated
Updated · The Associated Press · May 14
Xi Warns Trump $11 Billion Taiwan Arms Package Risks Clashes as Leaders Seek Trade, Hormuz Openings
20 articles · Updated · The Associated Press · May 14
After 2 hours of talks in Beijing, Xi told Trump mishandling Taiwan could bring the U.S. and China into “clashes and even conflicts,” making the island the sharpest point of the summit.
The warning came as Trump has yet to deliver an $11 billion Taiwan arms package approved in December, while Beijing has recently elevated Taiwan as a “core” interest and red line.
On other issues, the two sides agreed the Strait of Hormuz should reopen, and a White House official said Xi showed interest in buying more U.S. oil, farm goods and passenger planes.
Xi also cast the broader relationship as “constructive, strategic and stable” for the next 3 years, while China’s commerce ministry said it was open to expanding cooperation and narrowing disputes.
The summit unfolded with few expected breakthroughs on trade, technology, Iran and Taiwan, but it suggested both governments are trying to prevent another trade war and wider strategic rupture.
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May 2026 Showdown: Xi, Trump, and the Future of Taiwan in U.S.-China Rivalry
Overview
During U.S. President Donald Trump's visit to China in May 2026, the issue of Taiwan becomes the main focus, highlighting the growing strategic competition between Washington and Beijing. As both sides expand their military capabilities and harden their political rhetoric, Taiwan stands as a crucial test of whether the two powers can avoid direct confrontation. Chinese President Xi Jinping's administration firmly reiterates that Taiwan is an inseparable part of China and will never be a country, sending a direct warning to the United States and the international community. This unwavering stance underscores the high stakes and risks of miscalculation in the region.