Chinese President Xi Jinping has described Taiwan as the most sensitive and significant issue in relations between Beijing and Washington during a phone conversation with US President Donald Trump on Wednesday, according to Chinese state media.
During the exchange, Xi urged the United States to act with caution regarding arms sales to Taiwan, stressing that he places high importance on maintaining stable ties with the US. He expressed hope that both countries could manage disagreements through dialogue and mutual understanding.
President Trump characterized the discussion as “excellent” and extensive. The call comes amid renewed diplomatic engagement between China and several Western countries, with leaders seeking to recalibrate relations with the world’s second-largest economy.
Trump is expected to travel to China in April, a visit he has said he is eagerly anticipating. He also noted that Beijing is considering increasing its purchases of US soybeans to 20 million tonnes, up from 12 million tonnes currently. In a social media post, Trump highlighted what he described as a strong personal rapport with Xi and underscored the importance of preserving constructive bilateral ties.
According to both sides, the two leaders covered a wide range of international and bilateral topics. These included trade, Russia’s war in Ukraine, the situation in Iran, fentanyl-related concerns and energy cooperation, alongside the Taiwan issue.
On Taiwan, Xi reiterated Beijing’s position that the island is part of China and that the country must safeguard its sovereignty and territorial integrity. He warned Washington to handle arms sales to Taiwan carefully, a longstanding point of friction between the two powers.
China maintains that it seeks “reunification” with Taiwan and has not ruled out the use of force. While the United States recognizes Beijing diplomatically, it remains Taiwan’s key security partner and leading arms supplier. A recent US arms package for Taiwan, valued at around $11 billion, drew strong criticism from Beijing, which said such moves risk escalating tensions across the Taiwan Strait.
Xi emphasized that both nations have core concerns that should be respected. He said progress is possible if the relationship is guided by equality, mutual respect and shared benefit.
Earlier the same day, Xi also held a virtual meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, where both leaders praised the continued strengthening of ties between China and Russia.
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