Donald Trump went uncharacteristically quiet when asked whether the issue of Taiwan was raised at his meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
Trump and Xi held talks lasting nearly two hours on Thursday as part of the high-stakes summit between the two leaders in Beijing.
The pair then posed for photos together outside the historic Temple of Heaven. While standing directly next to Xi, Trump ignored questions from the press about whether the thorny issue of the democratically governed island, which Beijing claims as its own, was raised during the crunch talks.
Soon after the meeting began, China issued a statement in which Xi ominously warned the 79-year-old president that the “Taiwan question is the most important issue in China-U.S. relations” and that any disagreements on the hot topic could result in war.
“If it is handled properly, the bilateral relationship will enjoy overall stability. Otherwise, the two countries will have clashes and even conflicts, putting the entire relationship in great jeopardy,” Xi said.
“‘Taiwan independence’ and cross-Strait peace are as irreconcilable as fire and water. Safeguarding peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait is the biggest common denominator between China and the U.S.”
The issue of Taiwan will be a constant feature of Trump’s diplomatic trip to China, the first time a U.S. president has visited the country since Trump did so in 2017.
However, the White House made no mention of Taiwan in its readout of the meeting between Trump and Xi.
“President Trump had a good meeting with President Xi of China,” a White House official said.
“The two sides discussed ways to enhance economic cooperation between our two countries, including expanding market access for American businesses into China and increasing Chinese investment into our industries. Leaders from many of the United States’ largest companies joined a portion of the meeting.”
For decades, the U.S. has supported Taiwan’s defense without establishing formal diplomatic ties, as part of efforts to deter Beijing from invading the island.
This includes providing political and military support without outright calling for Taiwanese independence or treating Taiwan as its own country.
In December, Trump announced an $11 billion arms package for Taiwan, a move condemned by the Chinese Foreign Ministry as one that could “push toward a dangerous and violent situation.”
China has not ruled out invading Taiwan as part of its plans to unify the island. Polls show that a majority of people in Taiwan do not want the island to seek formal independence from China and are content to maintain the status quo in relations with Beijing.
Trump also does not appear willing to ruffle too many feathers while in China, especially as tensions between the two economic powerhouses have risen because of the trade war sparked by Trump’s sweeping tariffs. There have been fears that Trump could soften the U.S. stance on Taiwan to appease Beijing in future trade-deal talks.
Ahead of the summit at Beijing’s Great Hall of the People, Trump made sure to praise Xi as a “great leader.”
“Sometimes people don’t like me saying it, but I say it anyway,” Trump added. “There are those who say this may be the biggest summit ever.”
