Xi demands ‘prudence’ on U.S. arms sales to Taiwan in phone call with Trump

Chinese President Xi Jinping pressed President Trump on U.S. arms sales to Taiwan during a phone call this week, according to the official Beijing readout of the discussion.

Mr. Xi told the president that the Taiwan issue is the most important element of U.S.-China relations and that Taiwan “is China’s territory,” the Foreign Ministry said in quoting the Chinese leaders.

“China must safeguard its own sovereignty and territorial integrity, and will never allow Taiwan to be separated,” he said. “The U.S. must handle the issue of arms sales to Taiwan with prudence.”

Taiwan is a democratic, self-ruled island located 100 miles off the Chinese coast that Beijing regards as a breakaway province. The U.S. has not recognized Chinese sovereignty over Taiwan and has called for resolving differences through peaceful means.

The lengthy Chinese readout of the call Wednesday contained more details than the limited U.S. explanation of the call posted by Mr. Trump on Truth Social.

Mr. Trump sought to portray the exchange as more upbeat and included what he stated were trade and military topics and his planned visit to China in April that he said, “I very much look forward to!”

“Taiwan, the War between Russia/Ukraine, the current situation with Iran, the purchase of Oil and Gas by China from the United States, the consideration by China of the purchase of additional Agricultural products including lifting the Soybean count to 20 Million Tons for the current season (They have committed to 25 Million Tons for next season!), Airplane engine deliveries, and numerous other subjects, all very positive!” 

Mr. Trump said, noting the U.S. relations with China and his ties to Mr. Xi are “extremely good,” and need to be maintained.

Mr. Trump has said he was assured by Mr. Xi that China will not attack Taiwan during the three remaining years of the administration.

But some analysts fear the Chinese leader will use Mr. Trump’s desire for mutual visits – Mr. Xi may visit the U.S. this year – as a way to force the U.S. to reduce arms sales to Taiwan.

The upgrading of U.S. arms sales to Taiwan is a singular achievement of the first and second Trump administrations, said China analyst Rick Fisher.

“In 2020 Trump began the sale of 300-kilometer range ATACMS missiles for the first time, ending the decades of U.S. discouragement of this capability, and now his record $11.1 billion arms sales package from last December could end up selling over 11,000 missiles to Taiwan,” Mr. Fisher said.

“Trump has reestablished deterrence on the Taiwan Strait. Soon Taiwan’s missiles alone can defeat a Chinese invasion,” he said.

Mr. Trump said he believes many positive results will be achieved with China in the next three years of his administration.

Despite being a key strategic concern of China, Taiwan was not raised during the October Trump-Xi meeting in Busan, South Korea, when the two leaders later announced a temporary reset in relations as they seek to conclude a trade deal.

Mr. Xi said on the call Tuesday that he view relations with Washington with great importance and then listed conditions for improving ties through current “winds and storms.”

“Just as the U.S. has its concerns, China for its part also has concerns,” Mr. Xi said, according to the Chinese readout. “China always means what it says and matches its words with actions and results.”

If the U.S. and China seek to interact in “the spirit of equality, respect and mutual benefit” mutual concerns can be addressed, he said.

Mr. Xi then said the two sides should adhere to common understandings, enhance talks and communications, manage differences “properly” and expand cooperation.

“It is always right to do a good thing, however small; and always wrong to do a bad thing, however small,” he said.

The Chinese leader also urged building mutual trust and finding “the right way” to get along in 2026 and to promote “mutual respect, peaceful coexistence, and win-win cooperation,” he stated.

The term “mutual respect” is a key phrase used by Mr. Xi since 2012 to demand that the U.S. end its opposition to Chinese communism.

The Chinese statement said Mr. Trump said the U.S. and China are great countries and that relations are the most important in the world – standard U.S. diplomatic jargon in exchanges with Beijing.

“Under our leadership, the U.S. and China are doing well in economy and trade,” the Chinese quoted Mr. Trump as saying. “I want to see China succeed. The U.S. would like to work with China and make more progress in bilateral ties. I understand how China feels about the Taiwan question. I would like the two sides to continue talking to each other and keep the relationship in good shape during my presidency.”

Mr. Trump scaled back harsh rhetoric on China last year after Beijing imposed new restrictions on rare earth minerals.

The administration this week launched a new initiative to expand U.S. and foreign supplies of rare earth minerals, needed for both commercial and military industry, as a way to reduce reliance on China’s near monopoly on the minerals.