Asia-Pacific

Trump Welcomes Xi to Washington as Taiwan Looms Over Summit Talks

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By Kris Ma/Lery Hiciano

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Chinese President Xi Jinping has arrived in Washington for a three-day visit, his first trip to the US capital in more than a decade. Xi and US President Donald Trump are expected to discuss trade, Taiwan, AI regulation and Middle East conflicts at their second summit of the year. US lawmakers from both parties have urged continued support for Taiwan, while Taipei says it remains in close contact with Washington. The summit comes as the world’s two largest economies seek to stabilize trade ties.

Trump and Xi Meet in Washington

REPORTER:  
A rare high-level welcome in Washington, as US President Donald Trump personally greets Chinese President Xi Jinping on the tarmac as he arrives for a three-day visit.

Donald Trump (US PRESIDENT):  
So that was a great little meeting, it was a great greeting, and I think they appreciate it. Tremendous people.

REPORTER:  
It’s Xi’s first time in Washington in more than a decade, and the leaders’ second summit this year as they seek consensus on issues such as ongoing conflict in the Middle East, AI regulation and Taiwan.

But amid all the pomp and circumstance, Congressional leaders have stressed the need to balance relations with China, warning that closer ties with Beijing could affect Washington’s relations with Taiwan.

Hakeem Jeffries (US HOUSE MINORITY LEADER):  
And we should make sure that President Trump understands who our adversaries are across the world and who our allies have been. Taiwan is an ally, and hopefully Donald Trump is not going to give up Taiwanese autonomy or sovereignty or territorial integrity.

REPORTER:  
Republican lawmakers have also called on the administration to speed up arms sales to Taiwan and deepen security cooperation with the country.

China claims Taiwan as its territory and has not ruled out taking the country by force.

Taiwan is currently awaiting approval of a $14 billion US dollar arms package, with some reports suggesting Washington may hold off until after the summit.

Meanwhile, a bipartisan group of lawmakers has urged Trump not to discuss Taiwan arms sales with Beijing, saying it would go against long-standing US policy.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has sought to downplay those concerns.

Marco Rubio (US SECRETARY OF STATE):  
So, any arms sales we do with anyone on the planet – forget about Taiwan – with any country on the planet – has to be balanced with what our combatant commanders around the world are telling us are their minimum needs in case of a conflict in their region. And so, this is the constant balancing act that the Department of War goes through

REPORTER:  
Here in Taipei, officials say the government has been conveying its position to Washington ahead of the summit, and that US-Taiwan ties remain strong.

Michelle Lee (CABINET SPOKESPERSON):  
We are maintaining close contact with the US side to stay informed of the latest developments. The US has repeatedly reaffirmed its firm and clear support for Taiwan. We express our gratitude to the US for its long-standing support for Taiwan at various levels.

REPORTER:  
Beyond Taiwan, Trump and Xi also aim to stabilize trade relations, with both sides extending their trade truce into early next year as they negotiate a long-term agreement.

With both sides looking for economic wins, the talks over the next few days could have far-reaching consequences.