"If the issue is not handled properly, our two countries could end up on a collision course," Xi said, according to state media.
Later, at the lavish state banquet, Xi was more accommodating. He praised the US-China relationship as “the most important in the world” and stressed the importance of “it working and never being destroyed,” according to US media.
Xi also seemed happy when Trump invited him and his wife, Peng Liyuan, to the White House on September 24.
No mention?
China claims Taiwan, but in practice Taiwan has been self-governing since the end of the Chinese Civil War in 1949. Beijing repeatedly threatens to retake the island by military means and the United States has said it will support Taiwan in the event of a possible attack.
But in Beijing, President Trump's public statements on Taiwan were conspicuous by their absence. It is unclear whether the issue of arms sales was raised, as Trump had announced ahead of the meeting: the president approved an $11 billion arms package to Taiwan in December, but the United States has not yet moved forward with the delivery.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told CNBC that Trump will say more about Taiwan “in the coming days.” After the two-hour bilateral meeting with Xi, the president said only that the conversation was “excellent,” according to the AP.
Shortly afterwards, the White House announced that the leaders had agreed to keep the Strait of Hormuz, which was disputed during the Iran war, open to support the “free movement of the energy sector,” AFP writes. Other parts of the Middle East, Ukraine and the Korean peninsula were also affected, according to China’s Foreign Ministry.
The leaders' personal relationship was an important part of the meeting - at the arrival ceremony, Trump told Xi that "it's an honor to be your friend" - as were trade issues.
“Should be partners”
This is in light of Donald Trump's trade conflict with large parts of the world. A year ago, Washington, D.C., and Beijing agreed on equal import tariffs on each other's exports and last fall the countries agreed on a year-long trade truce. A number of US corporate executives are participating in the state visit, as are Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
After meeting with Xi, Donald Trump visited the Temple of Heaven in Beijing.
The American was welcomed to China with an honor guard and a ceremony outside the Great Hall of the People in Beijing early Thursday local time in Sweden. A military orchestra played the countries' national anthems, cannons were fired and hundreds of children waved the countries' flags.
"We should be partners, not rivals," Xi said at the ceremony.
US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping will meet in Beijing on May 14-15.
It is the first US presidential visit to China since Trump's last trip in November 2017. The meeting was originally scheduled for March, but was postponed due to the Iran war.
Trade tariffs, the Iran war and the energy crisis, AI safety, and the US-China agreement on rare earth metals are expected to be on the agenda.
Several business leaders are on the trip, according to media reports, including Tesla CEO Elon Musk and Apple CEO Tim Cook. Boeing CEO Kelly Ortberg, who is reported to be close to finalizing an order for 500 737 Max aircraft to China, is also part of the delegation.
