TAIPEI, Taiwan – President Trump is in Beijing for high-stakes talks with Chinese leader Xi Jinping. The president is expected to confront Xi over China’s support of Iran.
The Chinese leader is sending a strong message of his own, challenging U.S. policies on Taiwan.
But the war with Iran especially looms large as the two leaders meet, with President Trump expected to press Xi over China’s support for Tehran.
“You’ve got to remember, China is supporting everything to Iran that it needs in this war except combat personnel. It is a comrade in arms. It is an enemy combatant,” said Gordon Chang, with Gatestone Institute.
China, the largest importer of oil shipped through the Strait of Hormuz, is accused of providing Iran with critical military assistance.
“China has provided Iran ballistic missile chemical precursors that has supported Iran’s ballistic missile program,” Brad Bowman, with Foundation for the Defense of Democracies, told CBN News.
Ahead of Trump’s visit, the State Department sanctioned three Chinese satellite companies accused of sharing information with Iran on U.S. facilities and troops in the Middle East.
“Beijing’s provided full access to China’s satellite-based navigation system, and there have even been reports that Chinese satellites have provided imagery to Iran for targeting U.S. forces,” said Bowman.
The leaders began their meeting today with an exchange of pleasantries.
“It’s an honor to be with you, it’s an honor to be your friend, and the relationship between China and the USA is going to be better than ever before,” Trump said during their meeting this morning.
However, it turned frosty when Xi brought up Taiwan.
Beijing views the self-ruled island as a breakaway province and says it could use force to take over Taiwan if necessary.
Analysts say Xi wants to push the Trump administration to scale back support for Taiwan and oppose any move toward independence. In closed-door meetings today, the Chinese leader warned Trump that if handled poorly, it could lead to “an extremely dangerous situation.”
While President Trump’s state visit to China is wrapped up in all the pomp and pageantry Beijing can offer, here across the Taiwan Strait, people are watching very anxiously, wondering what kind of deals will be struck behind closed doors and what it could mean for their sovereignty.
Last December, Trump authorized an $11 billion arms package for Taiwan – the largest weapons sale to the island.
“President Trump will probably muddle his way through the conversation on Taiwan, and not make any dramatic, permanent, lasting changes to American policy that will handcuff future administrations,” said Ryan Hass with Brookings Institution.
Taiwan remains critical to the global economy.
“Taiwan produces the vast majority of advanced semiconductors that power the global economy, that power the AI revolution. None of that happens without Taiwan,” said Henrietta Levin with the Center for Strategic and International Studies.
American executives from big tech to agriculture joined the president’s team as both sides discuss tariffs, trade, rare earth minerals, and the growing AI rivalry between the world’s two largest economies.
