BEIJING (Realist English). China’s leader Xi Jinping described Taiwan as “the most important issue” in relations between Beijing and Washington during a phone call with US President Donald Trump on Wednesday, warning the United States to act with prudence in supplying weapons to the self-governed island.
According to China’s state media, Xi told Trump that Taiwan is part of China’s territory and that Beijing “must safeguard its sovereignty and territorial integrity”. He urged Washington to handle arms sales to Taiwan carefully, while stressing that China “attaches great importance” to its relationship with the United States and hopes both sides can manage differences through dialogue.
Trump described the conversation as “excellent” and “long and thorough”, striking a more upbeat tone. Writing on Truth Social, he said relations with China — and his personal ties with Xi — were “extremely good”, adding that both leaders recognised the importance of keeping them that way.
The call comes amid renewed diplomatic engagement between China and Western governments. Several Western leaders, including UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, have visited China in recent months in an effort to reset relations with the world’s second-largest economy. Trump is due to visit China himself in April, a trip he said he “very much looks forward to”.
Trump said Xi indicated that China was considering increasing its purchases of US soybeans to about 20 million tonnes, up from the current 12 million tonnes, signalling a possible easing of trade frictions.
Beyond Taiwan, Trump said the two leaders discussed Russia’s war in Ukraine, the situation in Iran, and China’s purchases of US oil and gas. The White House has not released a detailed readout of the call.
China and the United States have long clashed over Taiwan. Beijing has vowed to “reunify” with the island and has not ruled out the use of force. Washington formally recognises Beijing rather than Taipei but remains Taiwan’s most important security partner and largest arms supplier.
In December, the Trump administration approved an arms package for Taiwan worth around $11 bn, including advanced rocket launchers, self-propelled howitzers and missiles. Beijing warned at the time that such moves would heighten tensions across the Taiwan Strait and risk a “dangerous and violent situation”.
Xi told Trump that while the United States has its concerns, China has its own. “If the two sides work in the same direction in the spirit of equality, respect and mutual benefit, we can surely find ways to address each other’s concerns,” he said, according to state media.
Hours before speaking with Trump, Xi held a virtual meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, during which the two leaders praised the strengthening of ties between Beijing and Moscow, underscoring China’s broader diplomatic balancing act as tensions with Washington persist.
