The provocation of subjects of discord is beginning. Xi Jinping warned Donald Trump on Thursday, May 24 about the risk of a “conflict” between China and the United States if the issue of Taiwan is mishandled. “The issue of Taiwan is the most important in Sino-American relations,” the Chinese president said.
“If it is handled well, relations between the two countries (China and the United States) can remain generally stable. If it is mishandled, the two countries will clash or even conflict,” Xi Jinping declared, using a Mandarin word that does not necessarily mean military conflict.
“Taiwanese independence is incompatible with peace in the Taiwan Strait,” which separates the rule from mainland China, the leader emphasized to Donald Trump.
President Donald Trump, however, promised his counterpart Xi Jinping a “fabulous future” between the United States and China, making conciliatory statements far from the multiple tensions between the two powers at the opening of a summit with global implications.
Despite the pompous reception reserved for Donald Trump during this state visit, his host remained in a usual and more sober register, quoting an ancient Greek historian, Thucydides, to repeat that China and the United States should be “partners, not rivals.”
At the same time, the government of Taiwan stated on Thursday that the United States had expressed “clear and firm support” for the island during these discussions. “The American side has reaffirmed several times its clear and firm support for Taiwan,” the Taiwanese government spokeswoman, Michelle Lee, told reporters.
The China-Taiwan relationship has intensified since 2016 and the arrival of Tsai Ing-wen to the presidency, and then her successor, Lai Ching-te in 2024, both categorically opposed to Chinese claims.
The US maintains diplomatic relations with Beijing but not with Taipei. However, they are the island’s main arms supplier, which irritates the Chinese authorities, who see it as a violation of national sovereignty.
China regularly urges the US not to militarily and diplomatically support the current Taiwanese authorities, who come from a party traditionally advocating independence.
Xi Jinping rolled out the red carpet for Donald Trump upon his arrival at the monumental People’s Palace, a high place of power next to the immense Tiananmen Square bedecked in Chinese and American colors.
After reviewing a military guard to the sound of a cannon salute, and greeting a crowd of children carrying flowers and waving the flags of both countries chanting “welcome, welcome, warm welcome!”, Xi and Trump quickly delved into the contentious issues.
Before the doors closed on the journalists, Donald Trump, who strongly believes in personal relationships between powerful figures and asserts his closeness with Xi Jinping, proclaimed his “honor to be (his) guest” and “the honor to be (his) friend.” “The relations between China and the United States will be better than ever,” he said.
