Xi Warns Trump US-China Ties Could ‘Collide’ If Taiwan Issue Mishandled

Xi Jinping warned Donald Trump that mishandling Taiwan could push US-China relations toward conflict during talks in Beijing. The leaders also discussed trade tensions and Iran, with Xi urging cooperation while Trump said he expected a long conversation on Tehran. Make us preferred on Google Flip Share Facebook X (Twitter) LinkedIn Bluesky Email Copy Copied China’s President Xi Jinping (R) and US President Donald Trump during a welcome ceremony at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on May 14, 2026. (Photo by Brendan SMIALOWSKI / AFP) Content Share Facebook X (Twitter) LinkedIn Bluesky Email Copy Copied Flip Make us preferred on Google Chinese leader Xi Jinping warned US President Donald Trump on Thursday that Washington and Beijing could come into conflict if the Taiwan issue is mishandled, Chinese state media reported. “The Taiwan question is the most important issue in China-US relations,” Xi said, according to state broadcaster CCTV. “If mishandled, the two nations could collide or even come into conflict, pushing the entire China-US relationship into a highly perilous situation.” Follow our coverage of the war on the @Kyivpost_official . Trump, making the first visit to Beijing by a US president in nearly a decade, was welcomed at the Great Hall of the People with a red carpet, military band fanfare, a gun salute and schoolchildren chanting “welcome.” The ceremonial reception contrasted with a long list of unresolved tensions between the two powers, including trade, Taiwan, Iran and broader geopolitical competition. Trump reportedly told Xi it was “an honor to be your friend,” while the Chinese leader struck a more restrained tone, saying the two countries “should be partners and not rivals.” Xi urged the two sides to choose cooperation over confrontation, saying “a stable China-US relationship is a boon for the world.” “Cooperation benefits both sides, while confrontation harms both,” Xi said. The meeting comes after months of renewed trade tensions between Washington and Beijing in 2025, as well as disagreements over major global security issues. Other Topics of Interest US Intel Says Iran Retains Most Missile Sites Classified US intelligence assessments reportedly show Iran has restored operational access to most of its missile infrastructure, including 30 of 33 missile sites along the Strait of Hormuz. The findings contradict repeated public claims by President Donald Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth that Iran’s military had been “crushed” following the US-Israeli campaign earlier this year. The reports also raised concerns over depleted US missile stockpiles. Iran was also expected to feature prominently in the talks. Trump said he expected a “long talk” with Xi about Iran, which sells most of its US-sanctioned oil to China, but added: “I don’t think we need any help with Iran.” US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, long known as a China hawk, suggested Washington did want Beijing to play a role. “We hope to convince them to play a more active role in getting Iran to walk away from what they are doing now, and trying to do now in the Persian Gulf,” Rubio told Fox News on Wednesday.