One persistent source of tension is Taiwan, which Xi stressed to Trump is the most important issue in U.S.-China relations, according to a Chinese readout of the meeting.
If the issue is handled properly, the relationship can remain “generally stable,” said the readout from China’s foreign ministry spokesperson.
“Otherwise, the two countries will have clashes and even conflicts, putting the entire relationship in great jeopardy,” Xi is said to have told Trump.
Taiwan was widely expected to be a top agenda item during the two-day state visit by Trump, the first by a U.S. president since he last went to China during his first term in 2017.
Citing past comments by Trump, U.S. lawmakers and others had raised concerns that he could make concessions to Xi on Taiwan, a self-ruling democracy that Beijing has vowed to control by force if necessary. Trump administration officials have said repeatedly that U.S. policy on Taiwan is not expected to change.
More from NBC News in China
There was no mention of Taiwan in the American readout, which the U.S. described as a “good meeting” focused on enhancing economic cooperation. Both leaders had sought to extend a fragile trade truce reached in October when they met in South Korea.
Instead, the U.S. description focused heavily on the Iran war, which has loomed large over the summit and caused it to be postponed by six weeks. China has close ties with Iran, and Trump had been expected to seek greater assistance from Xi in bringing an end to the war.
But Trump “didn’t ask him for anything,” Secretary of State Marco Rubio told NBC News after the talks.
“We’re not asking for China’s help. We don’t need their help,” he said.
But Trump said in an interview with Fox News host Sean Hannity that Xi “would like to see a deal made” with Iran and offered his help.
“Look, anybody that buys that much oil has obviously got some kind of a relationship with him,” Trump said in a clip. “But he said, ‘I would love to be a help. If I could be of any help whatsoever.’ … He’d like to see the Hormuz Strait open.”
According to the White House, Xi expressed opposition to the militarization of the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial shipping route whose effective shutdown by Iran has disrupted global energy supplies, as well as any effort to charge a toll for its use. He also voiced interest in buying American oil to lessen China’s dependence on the waterway and agreed with the U.S. position that Iran can never have a nuclear weapon, a White House official said.
The Chinese readout made no specific mention of Iran, saying only that the two leaders “exchanged views on major international and regional issues including the Middle East situation,” according to Xinhua, China’s state-run news agency.
The day began with an elaborate welcome ceremony at the Great Hall of the People, an ornate building that borders Tiananmen Square, where Trump was all smiles as he was greeted by Xi along with leaping schoolchildren and a military honor band.
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