Chinese President Xi Jinping warned his American counterpart Donald Trump contiguous that their 2 countries could go progressive successful “conflict” if Washington mishandles the Taiwan issue, according to authorities television.
“The Taiwan contented is the astir important contented successful Sino-American relations. If it is handled properly, relations betwixt the 2 countries” volition stay “overall stable.” However, “if it is handled badly, the 2 countries volition face each other,” and could adjacent “become progressive successful conflict,” Xi said, utilizing a Mandarin connection that does not needfully connote equipped confrontation.
News of the Chinese president’s informing became nationalist aft the 2 leaders concluded their closed-door gathering astatine the Great Hall of the People, which lasted astir 2 hours successful total.
After the two-hour meeting, Trump and Xi visited the historical Temple of Heaven, 1 of the astir important taste and humanities sites successful the Chinese capital. The 2 leaders arrived determination soon aft 1 p.m. section time, with Trump telling cameras that “China is beautiful.” The complex, which dates backmost to the Ming dynasty successful the 15th period and had been closed to the nationalist since Tuesday up of the American president’s visit, carries peculiar symbolism successful relations betwixt Beijing and Washington. It was determination that American diplomat Henry Kissinger secretly visited successful 1971 during a historical ngo that paved the mode for the restoration of diplomatic relations betwixt the United States and China.
Impressive Welcome With Full Honors
Xi Jinping welcomed Donald Trump astatine the Great Hall of the People with subject honors and strict ceremonial protocol successful Tiananmen Square astatine the commencement of their captious gathering successful Beijing. To the sounds of the nationalist anthems of some countries and successful the beingness of a subject grant guard, the 2 leaders exchanged a handshake earlier opening talks connected trade, technology, and the situation involving Iran. In his opening remarks, Xi warned that “the satellite has reached a caller crossroads” and called connected the United States and China to “be partners, not rivals,” portion Trump spoke of a “fantastic relationship” with the Chinese president, saying helium had “great respect” for him and for China.
Trump’s motorcade arrived astatine Tiananmen Square soon aft 5 a.m. Thursday Greek time, with the American president being received successful an authoritative ceremonial by Xi Jinping.
The 2 leaders exchanged a handshake successful beforehand of the Great Hall of the People, wherever large governmental events successful China are held, including the yearly sessions of the Chinese parliament and the country’s apical advisory bodies.
Military Ceremony and National Anthems
During the welcoming ceremony, Trump and Xi stood successful the halfway of the quadrate portion a subject set performed the American nationalist anthem, followed by the Chinese anthem.
The 2 presidents walked on a reddish carpet successful beforehand of rows of soldiers to the dependable of ceremonial music.
Beside the reddish carpet stood children holding American and Chinese flags, arsenic good arsenic bouquets of flowers, cheering for the 2 leaders.
Trump greeted some the American and Chinese delegations of officials waiting for him successful the square.
“The Entire World Is Watching Our Meeting”
In his opening remarks, Xi Jinping argued that the planetary concern is changing rapidly and that the planetary country is marked by uncertainty and turmoil.
“The full satellite is watching our meeting. At this moment, transformations unseen successful a period are accelerating globally, and the planetary concern is fluid and turbulent,” the Chinese president said.
BREAKING: President Trump receives a lukewarm invited astatine the Great Hall of People successful Beijing for his gathering with President Xi Jinping. pic.twitter.com/8pbodyQxpW
— Fox News (@FoxNews) May 14, 2026Xi straight raised the question of whether the 2 countries tin debar the alleged “Thucydides Trap,” a mentation describing the information of struggle betwixt a rising powerfulness and an established one, inspired by the humanities illustration of the warfare betwixt Athens and Sparta successful Ancient Greece.
“The satellite has reached a caller crossroads. Can China and the United States flooded the Thucydides Trap and make a caller exemplary of relations?” helium said.
The Chinese president besides emphasized the request for practice betwixt the 2 countries successful addressing planetary challenges.
“Can we jointly face planetary challenges and supply greater stableness to the world? Can we, for the payment of the world, our 2 peoples, and the aboriginal of humanity, physique a brighter aboriginal for our bilateral relations?” helium asked.
Concluding, Xi described these issues arsenic “questions of captious value for history, for the world, and for peoples,” adding that they are “the questions of our era” that the 2 leaders are called upon to answer.
.@POTUS meets with President Xi astatine the Great Hall of the People successful Beijing:
"It's an grant to beryllium with you, it's an grant to beryllium your friend, and the narration betwixt China and the U.S.A. is going to beryllium amended than ever before. Thank you precise much!" pic.twitter.com/aepz02qOgj
Xi urged the 2 countries to take practice implicit confrontation.
“We indispensable beryllium partners and not rivals, assistance each different succeed, prosper together, and signifier a due mode for large powers to coexist successful the caller era,” the Chinese president said.
Trump: “I Have Great Respect for Xi and China”
For his part, Donald Trump spoke successful particularly lukewarm presumption astir Xi Jinping and relations betwixt the 2 countries.
The American president described their narration arsenic “fantastic” and stressed that helium has “great respect” for the Chinese person and for China. He besides called Xi a “great leader.” Trump further stated that the American delegation was looking guardant to discussions connected communal commercialized betwixt the 2 countries.
In addition, the American president promised his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping a “wonderful future” successful U.S.-China relations. “It is an grant to beryllium with you. It is an grant to beryllium your friend, and the narration betwixt China and the United States volition go amended than ever,” Trump said. “Together we volition person a fantastic future,” the Republican added.
Donald Trump and Xi Jinping concluded their opening remarks astatine the Great Hall of the People and proceeded to bilateral closed-door talks, which lasted astir 2 hours.
The American delegation includes authorities officials from the Trump medication arsenic good arsenic starring concern executives. Among them are NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang and Apple main Tim Cook.
Trade, Technology, and Iran astatine the Center of Discussions
Today’s docket includes a bilateral gathering betwixt the 2 leaders, a taste sojourn to the Temple of Heaven, and an authoritative authorities dinner.
Trump and Xi are expected to sermon captious issues specified arsenic U.S.-China commercialized relations, exertion restrictions, and the situation involving Iran.
The 2 leaders past met successful October connected the sidelines of an planetary acme successful South Korea, wherever they agreed connected a commercialized deal.
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