Chinese President Xi Jinping told US President Donald Trump that both nations should be “partners, not rivals” during nearly two hours of talks in Beijing, as the world’s two largest economies sought to ease tensions over trade, technology, Taiwan and the Iran conflict. Trump praised Xi as a “great leader” and expressed hope that bilateral ties could become “better than ever.”
The high-stakes meeting, which took place during early European trading hours, saw a delegation of top American business leaders — including Tesla’s Elon Musk, NVIDIA’s Jensen Huang and Apple’s Tim Cook — gather at the Great Hall of the People. Xi assured the executives that China’s doors would “only open wider” to US companies and that they would find “broader prospects” as the country continues economic opening.
However, Xi issued a stark warning on Taiwan, calling it the “most important issue in China-US relations.” He cautioned that mishandling could push bilateral ties “into a highly perilous situation,” adding that if the issue is mismanaged, the two nations could “collide or even come into conflict.” The remarks came as Taiwan stated that the US had reaffirmed its clear and firm support for the island.
Despite the diplomatic overture, major disputes remain unresolved, with further negotiations expected. Financial markets showed little immediate reaction: the US Dollar Index (DXY) held near 98.50 and S&P 500 futures were steady, signaling that investors await concrete policy shifts.
