“Partners, not rivals”: Xi pushes for deeper U.S. ties as high-stakes Trump talks reshape diplomacy

Rashmi Pandey — Thu, 14 May 2026 05:58:27 +0000

Chinese President Xi Jinping on Thursday called for expanded cooperation between China and the United States across trade, health, tourism, agriculture and law enforcement, as he held high-level talks with U.S. President Donald Trump in Beijing amid growing global geopolitical tensions.

According to Chinese state broadcaster CCTV, Xi said China-U.S. economic and trade relations continue to deliver “mutual benefits and win-win outcomes,” while stressing that equal dialogue and consultation remain “the only right approach” for managing differences between the world’s two largest economies.

The meeting between Xi and Trump, which lasted nearly two hours, comes at a sensitive moment for bilateral relations as both countries remain divided over tariffs, technology restrictions, Taiwan and broader strategic influence in Asia and beyond. Despite the tensions, Xi signalled a willingness to maintain diplomatic momentum and prevent relations from deteriorating further.

“Both sides should preserve the recently achieved good momentum in relations,” Xi said during the talks, according to CCTV. He added that the “new positioning” of China-U.S. relations established during the summit would serve as strategic guidance for ties “for the next three years and beyond.”

Trump, who arrived in Beijing accompanied by senior American officials and top business executives including Tesla CEO Elon Musk and Nvidia chief Jensen Huang, described Xi as a “great leader” and expressed confidence that ties between the two countries could improve further. Ahead of the meeting, Trump said he would encourage China to “open up” more sectors of its economy to American industries and investment.

The discussions extended beyond trade and economic cooperation. CCTV reported that both leaders also exchanged views on major international crises, including the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, the Ukraine war and tensions on the Korean Peninsula. The talks reflected growing pressure on both Washington and Beijing to cooperate diplomatically at a time of heightened global instability.

Taiwan remained one of the most sensitive issues during the summit. Chinese officials reiterated Beijing’s opposition to U.S. political and military support for Taiwan, warning that mishandling the issue could increase the risk of confrontation between the two powers. Analysts continue to view Taiwan as the biggest flashpoint in China-U.S. relations despite efforts by both sides to stabilise economic ties.

The summit also comes amid efforts to preserve a fragile trade truce reached after months of tariff disputes and restrictions on advanced technology exports. China has been seeking relief from U.S. semiconductor controls and artificial intelligence-related export curbs, while Washington wants broader market access and stronger protections for American companies operating in China.

Observers say the carefully managed public messaging from both leaders reflects a mutual desire to avoid another major economic conflict that could further damage global markets already facing uncertainty from inflation, supply chain disruptions and geopolitical tensions.

While no major breakthrough agreements were immediately announced, officials from both sides described the talks as constructive and significant for future engagement between Washington and Beijing. Markets and diplomatic observers are now closely watching whether the summit leads to concrete progress on trade, technology cooperation and regional security issues in the coming months.

Xi pushes ‘win-win’ ties with US while warning conflict over Taiwan could erupt

Rashmi Pandey — Thu, 14 May 2026 05:54:10 +0000

Chinese President Xi Jinping on Thursday called for China and the United States to become “partners, not rivals” as he opened high-stakes talks with U.S. President Donald Trump in Beijing, amid mounting tensions over trade, Taiwan, technology and the ongoing Iran conflict.

The closely watched summit, which lasted nearly two hours at Beijing’s Great Hall of the People, marked Trump’s first official visit to China since 2017 and comes at a time when both countries are attempting to stabilise strained relations while protecting their own strategic interests.

During the opening remarks, Xi said China-U.S. economic and trade relations are “mutually beneficial and win-win in nature,” adding that trade wars have no winners and consultation remains the only way to resolve disputes. Chinese state media later quoted Xi as warning that mishandling the Taiwan issue could lead to “conflict and confrontation” between the two global powers.

Trump, in response, praised Xi as a “great leader” and expressed optimism about future ties between the two countries. “The relationship between the United States and China will be better than ever before,” Trump said during the meeting, while also describing the summit as one of the most important diplomatic engagements of his presidency.

The summit agenda covered several sensitive issues including tariffs, artificial intelligence, semiconductor restrictions, Taiwan, rare earth supply chains and the war involving Iran. Washington is reportedly pushing for greater market access for American businesses, while Beijing seeks relief from U.S. technology restrictions and export controls affecting advanced chips and AI-related industries.

Trump arrived in Beijing accompanied by senior officials and leading American business executives, including Elon Musk and Jensen Huang. Ahead of the talks, Trump said he would urge China to “open up” further to U.S. industry and investment opportunities.

Taiwan emerged as one of the most delicate topics during the discussions. Beijing reiterated its opposition to U.S. arms sales and political support for Taiwan, which China considers part of its territory. Analysts say Taiwan remains the single biggest flashpoint capable of destabilising China-U.S. relations despite efforts to preserve economic cooperation.

The Iran war also cast a shadow over the summit, with Washington reportedly encouraging Beijing to play a more active diplomatic role in reducing regional tensions and maintaining energy stability. China, meanwhile, appeared focused on presenting itself as a stable global power amid growing geopolitical uncertainty.

The meeting comes against the backdrop of a fragile trade truce reached after months of tariff disputes and supply-chain tensions. Chinese officials said recent negotiations between trade teams from both countries produced “balanced and positive outcomes,” raising hopes for further economic cooperation.

Despite the warm public messaging and ceremonial welcome in Beijing, analysts believe major breakthroughs remain uncertain due to deep divisions over technology, security and regional influence. Still, both governments appear eager to avoid another full-scale economic confrontation that could damage already fragile global markets.

TaiwanTensions | Business Upturn

“Partners, not rivals”: Xi pushes for deeper U.S. ties as high-stakes Trump talks reshape diplomacy

Xi pushes ‘win-win’ ties with US while warning conflict over Taiwan could erupt