Xi warns Trump about ‘extremely dangerous’ risks if Taiwan issue mishandled

Lead

Chinese President Xi Jinping used his summit with US President Donald Trump in Beijing to deliver a stark warning on Taiwan, saying that any mishandling of the issue could lead to conflict and push bilateral relations into an “extremely dangerous situation.” The remarks, reported by multiple outlets including RFI and TASS, came during more than two hours of talks at the Great Hall of the People on May 14.

“If handled well, bilateral relations can maintain overall stability. If handled poorly, the two countries will face collision or even conflict, pushing the entire China-US relationship into an extremely dangerous situation,” Xi was quoted as saying by China’s state news agency Xinhua, as relayed by several sources.

Coverage Comparison

Coverage of the summit varied in emphasis. The Jerusalem Post focused on Japan’s shifting stance on Taiwan, noting that Tokyo no longer sees the issue as distant but as a direct security concern. RFI and the South China Morning Post highlighted Xi’s warning as the lead, framing it as a central moment in US-China relations. TASS, the Russian state news agency, provided multiple reports, one of which noted that Taiwan was not mentioned in the White House’s official statement following the talks—a detail also picked up by NBC News, according to TASS.

Analysts cited by the South China Morning Post described Xi’s tone as tougher than during his 2017 summit with Trump. Wu Yongping, dean of the Institute for Taiwan Studies at Tsinghua University, said the directness was “quite rare” and reflected China’s determination.

Key Claims

• Xi Jinping warned that mishandling the Taiwan issue could lead to conflict and push US-China relations into an “extremely dangerous situation,” according to multiple sources including RFI and TASS.
• Xi called Taiwan the “most important” issue in bilateral relations and said “Taiwan independence is fundamentally incompatible with peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait,” per state media reports carried by several outlets.
• The White House statement after the summit did not mention Taiwan, according to a report from NBC News cited by TASS. The statement focused on Iran, the Strait of Hormuz, economic issues, and fentanyl trafficking.
• Trump avoided making an explicit commitment to defend Taiwan in the event of a Chinese attack, according to the Jerusalem Post.
• The United States officially recognizes Beijing rather than Taipei but remains Taiwan’s main arms supplier, as reported by RFI and others.
• China considers Taiwan a province and says it seeks eventual reunification, a position reiterated by Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi after the summit, as reported by TASS.

Perspectives

From Beijing’s perspective, as articulated by Xi and Foreign Minister Wang Yi, Taiwan is an internal affair and reunification is a historic mission. Wang Yi said the US leadership “understands China’s position” and rejects Taiwan independence.

From Washington’s perspective, the official statement’s omission of Taiwan may signal an effort to avoid antagonizing Beijing, though the US continues to supply arms to Taiwan, a long-running source of tension.

From Tokyo’s perspective, the Jerusalem Post reported that Japan has changed its language, with Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi stating in 2025 that a Taiwan emergency could threaten Japan’s national survival, reflecting growing concern about a potential conflict.

Taiwan’s government, meanwhile, said Washington reaffirmed its support during the talks, according to comments from spokeswoman Michelle Lee reported by RFI.

The summit also covered trade, artificial intelligence, the war in Ukraine, and Middle East tensions, according to RFI. Trump received a lavish welcome, including a military honor guard and cannon fire, setting a backdrop of ceremony against the serious discussions.