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Xi Jinping, Taiwan, and the China-US Relationship

Thursday, May 14, 2026
5 min read
Xi Jinping, Taiwan, and the China-US Relationship

Xi Jinping brought up the Taiwan issue . He made it clear that if things aren't managed right, the relationship between Washington and Beijing could spiral into something "very dangerous."

That was during a high-stakes meeting with Donald Trump. It happened in Beijing, the Great Hall of the People.

He essentially said that the Taiwan question is the absolute center of everything between China and the US. That’s the most important thing.

“If it is handled properly, relations between the two countries can maintain overall stability,” Jinping stated. But he immediately followed that up with the warning. “If it is not handled properly, the two countries may clash or even come into conflict, pushing the entire China-US relationship into a very dangerous situation.” That was the core of it.

China recognizes Taiwan. It sees it as part of its territory. But there’s this history, you know? China and Taiwan share a history, a culture. Yet, what separates them now is that Taiwan has somehow managed to become this thriving democracy over the last eighty years. It’s a different story.

Meanwhile, Beijing has been ramping up military drills around Taiwan. Asserting control. It hasn't even ruled out taking it by force, interestingly enough.

But the people on the ground? Less than ten percent of Taiwan’s population actually wants to be reunified with China. Surveys suggest that.

Taiwan’s deputy foreign minister, Chen Ming-chi, offered a different perspective in an earlier interview. He spoke about the past. “We’ve been through an authoritarian past. We see democracy is something we achieved. Taiwanese people cherish that very much. So we will never accept the one country, two systems.” A firm line.

For decades, US Presidents, they openly backed Taipei’s autonomy. They rejected Beijing’s claims. But then you have Trump. His stance on Taiwan has been… ambiguous. It raises real questions about how the US actually defends that little island.

During the summit itself, Trump focused on the big picture. He lauded Jinping. Called him a “great leader.” And then the focus shifted to trade. He pushed for stronger ties with Beijing.

“We’re going to have a fantastic future together. I have such respect for China, the job you’ve done. You’re a great leader. I say it to everybody. Sometimes people don’t like me saying it, but I say it anyway. On behalf of all of the great delegations that we have, we have the greatest businessmen, the biggest and, I guess, the best in the world…”

The assurance was about trade. He insisted it would be totally reciprocal from Washington’s side. He looked forward to the discussion. It was a big one.

“I didn’t want the second or the third in the company. I wanted only the top. They’re here today to pay respects to you and to China. They look forward to trade and doing business, and it’s going to be totally reciprocal on our behalf. I really look very much forward to our discussion. It’s a big discussion. Those who say this is maybe the biggest summit ever. They can never remember anything like it…” he said.

It was a performance, really. The big talk about future cooperation. But underneath the pleasantries, the Taiwan situation hangs heavy. A real ticking clock.

Written by Gree News Team — Senior Editorial Board

Gree News Team covers international news and global affairs at Gree News. Our collective of senior editors is dedicated to providing independent, accurate, and responsible journalism for a global audience.

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