China’s president Xi Jinping has told US president Donald Trump that the United States should handle arms sales to Taiwan with caution, describing the future of the self-governing island as the most important issue in China-US relations.
The warning came during a call on Wednesday during which they also discussed Ukraine, Iran and the economic relationship between China and the US.
“Taiwan is Chinese territory, and China must defend its national sovereignty and territorial integrity. It will never allow Taiwan to be separated from China. The US must handle arms sales to Taiwan with caution,” Xi told Trump, according to an official Chinese account of the call.
Xi noted that he and Trump have stayed in touch since their meeting in South Korea last October, which reset the relationship following months of turbulence after Trump imposed steep tariffs on Chinese goods.
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“The US has its concerns, and China has its concerns. China is true to its word and delivers on its promises. As long as both sides uphold the principles of equality, respect and mutual benefit and move towards each other, we can find ways to resolve each other’s concerns,” Xi told Trump on Wednesday.
In a social media post, Trump said it was “a long and thorough call, where many important subjects were discussed” including trade and military matters.
He said they discussed China’s purchase of oil and gas from the US and the possibility that Beijing will buy more American agricultural products.
“The relationship with China, and my personal relationship with President Xi, is an extremely good one, and we both realize how important it is to keep it that way. I believe that there will be many positive results achieved over the next three years of my Presidency having to do with President Xi, and the People’s Republic of China,” Trump wrote.
Earlier on Wednesday, Xi had a video call with Russian president Vladimir Putin during which they discussed their relations with the US as well as the deepening economic co-operation between China and Russia.
“I would like to once again assure you of firm support for our shared efforts to ensure the sovereignty and security of our countries, our socio-economic welfare and the right to choose our own development path,” Putin said at the beginning of the call.
Xi said he wanted to work with Putin on a new blueprint for the relationship between Beijing and Moscow, declaring that they should “use a historic opportunity to continue deepening strategic co-operation”.
Putin’s foreign affairs adviser Yuri Ushakov told reporters after the call that Putin and Xi exchanged views about their countries’ relations with the US, noting that they “practically coincide”.
“Russia and China stand for equal and mutually beneficial co-operation on the basis of international law and the United Nations Charter,” Ushakov said.
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He said that Xi expressed support for the trilateral talks between Russia, Ukraine and the US that are under way in Abu Dhabi. Putin and Xi also discussed the fact that the last remaining nuclear arms treaty between the United States and Russia, will expire on Thursday.
Putin suggested last September that the two sides should agree to stick to the treaty’s obligations for an extra year, but Trump has not formally responded to the proposal.
“Vladimir Putin emphasised that in this situation, we will act in a balanced and responsible manner based on a careful analysis of the overall security environment. Russia remains open to finding a way to ensure strategic stability through negotiations,” Ushakov said.
