US President Donald Trump had a call with Chinese leader Xi Jinping on Tuesday, during which Beijing warned Washington to exercise "prudence" when it comes to supplying arms to Taiwan.
In their conversation, Xi emphasized that the issue of Taiwan is at the heart of China-US relations. He made it clear that China will never allow Taiwan to become independent and will take all necessary measures to safeguard its sovereignty and territorial integrity. The US should handle this sensitive issue with caution, according to Xi.
The warning comes as tensions between China and Taiwan remain high, despite Taiwan's president, Lai Ching-te, expressing confidence in the island's relationship with the United States. In a recent visit to textile merchants in western Taiwan, Lai emphasized that ties with Washington are strong and all cooperation projects will continue uninterrupted.
Taiwan is a self-governed democracy that China claims as its own territory, although Beijing prohibits any country with diplomatic relations from having formal ties with Taipei. The US has supplied arms to Taiwan in the past, including missiles, artillery systems, and drones, with a recent package valued at over $11 billion still awaiting approval by Congress.
China's reaction to the proposed arms sales was swift and angry, with military drills conducted around the island in December. Some Taiwanese politicians and citizens are also opposing the sales, as well as an increase in defense spending to 3.3% of Taiwan's gross domestic product.
The call between Trump and Xi also covered other topics such as Russia's war in Ukraine, Iran, and China's oil and gas purchases from the US. The two leaders will meet in person for the first time since November during a trip by Trump to China in April, which has generated significant interest among observers.
In their conversation, Xi emphasized that the issue of Taiwan is at the heart of China-US relations. He made it clear that China will never allow Taiwan to become independent and will take all necessary measures to safeguard its sovereignty and territorial integrity. The US should handle this sensitive issue with caution, according to Xi.
The warning comes as tensions between China and Taiwan remain high, despite Taiwan's president, Lai Ching-te, expressing confidence in the island's relationship with the United States. In a recent visit to textile merchants in western Taiwan, Lai emphasized that ties with Washington are strong and all cooperation projects will continue uninterrupted.
Taiwan is a self-governed democracy that China claims as its own territory, although Beijing prohibits any country with diplomatic relations from having formal ties with Taipei. The US has supplied arms to Taiwan in the past, including missiles, artillery systems, and drones, with a recent package valued at over $11 billion still awaiting approval by Congress.
China's reaction to the proposed arms sales was swift and angry, with military drills conducted around the island in December. Some Taiwanese politicians and citizens are also opposing the sales, as well as an increase in defense spending to 3.3% of Taiwan's gross domestic product.
The call between Trump and Xi also covered other topics such as Russia's war in Ukraine, Iran, and China's oil and gas purchases from the US. The two leaders will meet in person for the first time since November during a trip by Trump to China in April, which has generated significant interest among observers.
- like what even is going on here?! One minute it's all chill and cooperation between the US and Taiwan, next thing you know China's all up in arms about it...no pun intended 
. And let's be real, who does Xi Jinping think he is? Trying to dictate how the US should handle its relationships with other countries? Like, hello, we're a superpower here 
! We can handle our own diplomacy without some Chinese leader breathing down our necks 
.
I mean, Taiwan's got its own government, its own economy, its own everything - why does China need to claim it as its own territory?! 
It just feels like a huge power play, you know? And the US is all like "oh, we'll just sell them some arms and hope for the best" 
. No, no, no - this isn't how international relations work! 
We need to be smarter than that 
.
. Can't they just get along?! 
I'm getting more and more anxious about this whole Taiwan situation... China is super firm on not allowing Taiwan independence and that's just gonna lead to more conflict. The US should be careful with arming Taiwan 'cause it might escalate things. 
. Donald Trump and Xi Jinping talking on the phone is one thing, but what if Beijing actually takes action? 
. We need to make sure we're supporting Taiwan in a way that doesn't escalate things further 
.
We should be working towards finding common ground and resolving conflicts through diplomacy 
, not resorting to military actions or threats 
. Anyway, I'm keeping my eye on this situation 
...
Meanwhile, the US is like, "Hey, we're good friends with them" 
. Like, $11 billion is a huge deal 
, and if it gets derailed due to China's drama, it could be a major setback for the US. What do you guys think? Should the US still go through with it or play it safe? 
I mean, it feels like China is basically saying "if you support us on this issue, we'll get along great" and that just doesn't sit right for me. 
. See, from Beijing's point of view, Taiwan is a matter of national pride and security, whereas for the US, it's more about supporting democracy and freedom 
. And that's exactly what makes this situation so tricky - there's no one-size-fits-all solution here 
.
. It's like trying to solve a puzzle with missing pieces - you need to figure out what each side is really after 
.
. But for now, let's just say that this call is a reminder that in international relations, nuance is key 
.
. but at the same time, you gotta wonder if taiwan is really ready for a war with china? they've been trying to build up their own defense capabilities, but it's not like they can match china's military might 
it's a tough one, but i think xi's warning is definitely something to consider... maybe we're seeing a bit of a cold war scenario unfolding here 
.
. It feels like a cat-and-mouse game between the US and China here, with Taiwan caught in the middle. Can we really have a stable region if no one's willing to talk about what they're doing? 
it's like they're playing hardball 
and also china's being super passive-aggressive on russia and iran too 
The fact that both sides are having these kinds of conversations is making me wonder if we'll see more military buildups or provocations in the region. It's also interesting that Trump was able to address other major global hotspots like Russia's war and Iran, but Taiwan seems to be getting less attention... 
. I hope they can figure it out without anyone getting hurt 
. Can't we get some transparency about what's really going on? Like, why can't we know exactly what was discussed during that call between Trump and Xi? It feels like a big ol' game of cat and mouse 
. And Taiwan is just caught in the middle 
. I mean, I get it, China's all worked up about its "sovereignty" thing, but can't we have a real conversation about this instead of just back-and-forth bluster? 
I mean, think about it... both Xi and Lai are just trying to communicate what they want from each other 
. Okay, so Xi is being super clear that China wants Taiwan back under its control 
Maybe this call will actually lead to some progress 
... a guy can dream, right?