{"id":37683,"date":"2026-05-13T06:34:11","date_gmt":"2026-05-13T06:34:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pickbydoc.com\/?p=37683"},"modified":"2026-05-13T06:34:12","modified_gmt":"2026-05-13T06:34:12","slug":"trade-taiwan-and-iran-cast-shadows-on-trumps-china-summit-with-xi","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pickbydoc.com\/?p=37683","title":{"rendered":"Trade, Taiwan and Iran cast shadows on Trump\u2019s China summit with Xi"},"content":{"rendered":"<p> <br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<p id=\"anchor-a97fd7\" class=\"body-graf\">BEIJING \u2014 President <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcnews.com\/politics\/donald-trump\/trump-not-thinking-american-finances-iran-talk-rcna344785\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Donald Trump<\/a> will begin a two-day summit with Chinese President <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcnews.com\/world\/asia\/us-china-arrest-5-joint-drug-smuggling-investigation-ahead-trump-trip-rcna344494\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Xi Jinping<\/a> in Beijing on Thursday as the world\u2019s two biggest economies look to stabilize a trade truce against the backdrop of the simmering <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcnews.com\/politics\/national-security\/pentagon-considering-re-naming-iran-war-sledgehammer-ceasefire-collaps-rcna344630\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">U.S. conflict with Iran<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><button class=\"styles_subscriptionCTA__LOUeY\" id=\"subscriptionCTA\" type=\"button\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"styles_textWrapper__vxvko\">\n<p class=\"styles_text__daaVB styles_textLarge__qlzwu\">Subscribe to read this story ad-free    <\/p>\n<p class=\"styles_text__daaVB\">Get unlimited access to ad-free articles and exclusive content.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/media-cldnry.s-nbcnews.com\/image\/upload\/rockcms\/2026-01\/arrow-f55fa5.svg\" alt=\"arrow\" class=\"styles_arrow__tnruW\" aria-hidden=\"true\"\/><\/button><\/p>\n<p id=\"anchor-410f77\" class=\"body-graf\">Trump\u2019s visit, the first by a U.S. president since his own trip nine years ago, will be \u201ca wild one,\u201d he promised this year, recounting at an event in Washington that he had told Xi \u201cto put on the biggest display you\u2019ve ever had in the history of China.\u201d<\/p>\n<p id=\"anchor-8d3022\" class=\"body-graf\">Trump has consistently framed his relationship with Xi in personal and warm terms, but this trip carries more pressure than either side will publicly acknowledge. <\/p>\n<p id=\"anchor-1389fe\" class=\"body-graf\">Trade will be at the forefront of discussions, and Trump is bringing more than a dozen chief executives with him to Beijing, including Apple\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcnews.com\/business\/business-news\/apple-ceo-john-ternus-tim-cook-rcna341096\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Tim Cook<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcnews.com\/tech\/tech-news\/sam-altman-takes-stand-defend-openai-elon-musk-claims-rcna344698\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Elon Musk<\/a>, the chief executive of SpaceX and Tesla, who ran Trump\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcnews.com\/tech\/elon-musk\/elon-musk-trump-government-doge-security-rcna266088\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Department of Government Efficiency<\/a>. Nvidia CEO <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcnews.com\/business\/business-news\/nvidia-ceo-jensen-huang-warns-china-not-ai-rcna203813\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Jensen Huang<\/a> joined Trump on the tarmac in Alaska for the second leg of the flight to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcnews.com\/world\/asia\/chinese-evs-take-world-storm-united-states-rcna344680\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">China<\/a>.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"styles_inlineImage__FvnTh styles_medium__MEKii\" id=\"anchor-68bc75\"><picture class=\"styles_image__i32F7\" data-testid=\"picture\" data-flavor=\"fit\" data-original-height=\"1667\" data-original-width=\"2500\"><source media=\"(min-width: 1000px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/media-cldnry.s-nbcnews.com\/image\/upload\/t_fit-560w,f_avif,q_auto:eco,dpr_2\/rockcms\/2026-05\/260513-trump-2-rs-a07716.jpg 2x, https:\/\/media-cldnry.s-nbcnews.com\/image\/upload\/t_fit-560w,f_auto,q_auto:best\/rockcms\/2026-05\/260513-trump-2-rs-a07716.jpg 1x\"\/><source media=\"(min-width: 320px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/media-cldnry.s-nbcnews.com\/image\/upload\/t_fit-760w,f_avif,q_auto:eco,dpr_2\/rockcms\/2026-05\/260513-trump-2-rs-a07716.jpg 2x, https:\/\/media-cldnry.s-nbcnews.com\/image\/upload\/t_fit-760w,f_auto,q_auto:best\/rockcms\/2026-05\/260513-trump-2-rs-a07716.jpg 1x\"\/><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/media-cldnry.s-nbcnews.com\/image\/upload\/t_fit-760w,f_auto,q_auto:best\/rockcms\/2026-05\/260513-trump-2-rs-a07716.jpg\" alt=\"TOPSHOT-US-POLITICS-TRUMP-CHINA\" height=\"1667\" width=\"2500\"\/><\/picture><figcaption class=\"caption styles_caption__TCewG\" data-testid=\"caption\"><span class=\"caption__container\" data-testid=\"caption__container\">President Donald Trump boards Air Force One at Joint Base Andrews on Tuesday, as he departs for a 3-day state visit to China.<\/span><span class=\"caption__source\" data-testid=\"caption__source\">Brendan Smialowski \/ AFP via Getty Images<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p id=\"anchor-670b7e\" class=\"body-graf\">The goal this week will be to return to Washington with positive economic headlines and a reinforced personal relationship that both governments regard as the most consequential bilateral tie in the world. The possibility of extending the trade truce reached between Washington and Beijing last fall is on the agenda, as well.  <\/p>\n<p id=\"anchor-ddd060\" class=\"body-graf\">Yet expectations for the summit\u2019s outcomes are muted, with both leaders facing setbacks at home and abroad that may limit their room to maneuver. Trump, whose approval ratings are at their <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcnews.com\/politics\/donald-trump\/poll-trumps-approval-rating-hits-second-term-low-economy-iran-war-rcna331462\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">lowest point in his second term<\/a>, has seen <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcnews.com\/politics\/trump-administration\/federal-court-rules-against-new-global-tariffs-trump-imposed-rcna344156\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">much of his global tariff regime struck down<\/a> by U.S. courts and is engaged in an unpopular war with Iran that has stretched past an initial six-week timeline and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcnews.com\/politics\/white-house\/energy-secretary-trump-suspending-federal-gas-tax-iran-chris-wright-rcna344407\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">sent gas prices soaring<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p id=\"anchor-ebb134\" class=\"body-graf\">Xi has his own long-standing economic problems, including <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcnews.com\/news\/world\/chinas-youth-unemployment-hits-fresh-high-economic-slowdown-restrictiv-rcna172183\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">high youth unemployment<\/a>, weak consumer demand and a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcnews.com\/world\/asia\/china-evergrande-founder-pleads-guilty-fraud-shenzhen-court-rcna331674\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">crumbling property sector<\/a>, as well as new concerns about <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcnews.com\/world\/china\/trumps-war-iran-offers-opening-china-rcna341593\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">how long China can withstand<\/a> the energy shocks from the Iran war.<\/p>\n<section class=\"inline-video inline-video--in-body\" data-testid=\"inline-video\" id=\"anchor-28cb2f\">\n<div class=\"inline-video__background\">\n<div class=\"inline-video__player\">\n<div class=\"styles_gridStackWrapper__Z_AMc styles_videoContainer___xc7B video-container paused\" data-testid=\"gamma-video-player\">\n<div class=\"styles_gridStackWrapper__Z_AMc videoSlate styles_videoSlate__IvkAP\"><picture class=\"\" data-testid=\"picture\" data-flavor=\"focal\"><source media=\"(min-width: 1240px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/media-cldnry.s-nbcnews.com\/image\/upload\/t_focal-860x484,f_auto,q_auto:best\/mpx\/2704722219\/2026_05\/Trump_Cropped-25kw6s.jpg\"\/><source media=\"(min-width: 758px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/media-cldnry.s-nbcnews.com\/image\/upload\/t_focal-1000x563,f_auto,q_auto:best\/mpx\/2704722219\/2026_05\/Trump_Cropped-25kw6s.jpg\"\/><source media=\"(min-width: 320px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/media-cldnry.s-nbcnews.com\/image\/upload\/t_focal-760x428,f_auto,q_auto:best\/mpx\/2704722219\/2026_05\/Trump_Cropped-25kw6s.jpg\"\/><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/media-cldnry.s-nbcnews.com\/image\/upload\/t_focal-760x428,f_auto,q_auto:best\/mpx\/2704722219\/2026_05\/Trump_Cropped-25kw6s.jpg\" alt=\"\"\/><\/picture><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<p id=\"anchor-f2dea1\" class=\"body-graf\">Former officials and experts say they also hope the summit will establish rules that give Trump more room to advance his domestic priorities.<\/p>\n<p id=\"anchor-4baba8\" class=\"body-graf\">\u201cThe bottom line, beyond the pageantry, is that the economic relationship needs to be placed on an equilibrium that would give the United States sufficient time to harden our resilience and our supply chains, for this president later in his term and for future presidents,\u201d said Alexander Gray, the chief executive of American Global Strategies, who was a national security official in Trump\u2019s first term. <\/p>\n<p id=\"anchor-bfe5ca\" class=\"body-graf\">\u201cSoybean sales, that stuff is great, but the important thing is establishing the ground rules, establishing the left and right bounds of the relationship, establishing what is acceptable to both parties and what would constitute an unacceptable break in the economic equilibrium.\u201d<\/p>\n<section class=\"inline-video inline-video--in-body inline-video--vertical-video\" data-testid=\"inline-video\" id=\"anchor-814c09\">\n<div class=\"inline-video__background\">\n<div class=\"inline-video__player\">\n<div class=\"inline-video__badge-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"subscriber-badge styles_subscriberBadge__Lc_nV inline-video__subscriber-badge\" data-testid=\"subscriber-badge\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/media-cldnry.s-nbcnews.com\/image\/upload\/rockcms\/2026-01\/asterisk-43f04b.svg\" alt=\"\"\/><\/p>\n<p><span class=\"styles_text__CtcQ0\">FOR<\/span><span class=\"styles_text__CtcQ0\">SUBSCRIBERS<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><button type=\"button\" class=\"inline-video-gate\" tabindex=\"0\" aria-label=\"Subscribe to watch this video\"\/><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/media-cldnry.s-nbcnews.com\/image\/upload\/t_fit-360w,f_avif,q_auto:eco,dpr_2\/mpx\/2704722219\/2026_05\/Gabe_TN_fr-ysuvvh.jpg\" alt=\"What to expect from Trump's first day in China\" class=\"inline-video__thumbnail\"\/><\/p>\n<div class=\"inline-video__placeholder-info\">\n<h2 class=\"inline-video__placeholder-title\">What to expect from Trump&#8217;s first day in China<\/h2>\n<p><span class=\"styles_caret__Aqe2z icon icon-play\" aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\" data-testid=\"caret\"\/><span data-testid=\"card-duration\">02:33<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<p id=\"anchor-eed3e2\" class=\"body-graf\">Gray and others pointed to one clear guardrail Trump should aim to establish: \u201cthe Chinese understanding that it\u2019s unacceptable for them to suspend rare-earth exports.\u201d<\/p>\n<p id=\"anchor-36b61a\" class=\"body-graf\">China controls the dominant share of extraction and refining of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcnews.com\/world\/china\/china-us-trade-talks-rare-earth-minerals-electric-cars-defense-rcna211110\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">rare-earth materials<\/a> critical to modern technology and weaponry, and it has shown its willingness to use that leverage. \u201cOne of the things we know is that the Chinese are going to use that as a weapon as long as they have the ability to do so,\u201d Gray said.<\/p>\n<p id=\"anchor-bb35f1\" class=\"body-graf\">Trump and Xi are also expected to discuss creating a U.S.-China Board of Trade and a U.S.-China Board of Investment, which would allow both governments to manage the exchange of nonsensitive goods and establish a government-to-government forum on investment-related issues, according to White House principal deputy spokesperson Anna Kelly, who said deals touching on aerospace, agriculture and energy are all on the agenda.<\/p>\n<p id=\"anchor-786568\" class=\"body-graf\">\u201cThese agreements will further rebalance trade with China, while putting American workers, farmers and families first and safeguarding U.S. economic strength and national security,\u201d Kelly said.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"anchor-f2f220\" class=\"body-heading\">Low expectations and small wins<\/h2>\n<p id=\"anchor-5b710e\" class=\"body-graf\">With only modest developments expected at the summit, both sides will instead be looking for narrow wins, said Allen Carlson, an associate professor of government at Cornell University and an expert on Chinese foreign policy.<\/p>\n<p id=\"anchor-e8eb79\" class=\"body-graf\">\u201cThe summit itself, I think, is a win for China in terms of enhancing and burnishing China\u2019s reputation as a great power, potentially as some sort of broker of peace in the Middle East,\u201d Carlson said in an interview.<\/p>\n<p id=\"anchor-daf278\" class=\"body-graf\">Trump, he said, is seeking greater assistance from China with Iran, with which <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcnews.com\/world\/asia\/tankers-talks-trumps-dangerous-blockade-chinas-iran-war-involvement-ge-rcna331666\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">it has close ties<\/a>, but he \u201calso, I think, is in need of a win on the world stage just in general.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"summary-box\" data-testid=\"summary-box\" id=\"anchor-014a74\">\n<div class=\"summary-box__content\">\n<h2 class=\"summary-box__headline\">More from NBC News in China<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p id=\"anchor-61d410\" class=\"body-graf\">Before he left Washington on Tuesday, Trump told reporters that he expected to have \u201ca long talk\u201d with Xi about the Iran war but that it was not an agenda item. The talks, \u201cmore than anything else,\u201d he said, would be about trade.<\/p>\n<p id=\"anchor-1d5b52\" class=\"body-graf\">\u201cI don\u2019t think we need any help with Iran. We\u2019ll win it one way or the other,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p id=\"anchor-add347\" class=\"body-graf\">Trump and Xi have spoken about the Iran war \u201cmultiple times,\u201d a senior administration official told reporters, and Trump is expected to press Xi about the revenue and goods China provides to the Iranian government, as well as what the official described as \u201cpotential weapons exports.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure class=\"styles_inlineImage__FvnTh styles_medium__MEKii\" id=\"anchor-87aae8\"><picture class=\"styles_image__i32F7\" data-testid=\"picture\" data-flavor=\"fit\" data-original-height=\"1667\" data-original-width=\"2500\"><source media=\"(min-width: 1000px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/media-cldnry.s-nbcnews.com\/image\/upload\/t_fit-560w,f_avif,q_auto:eco,dpr_2\/rockcms\/2026-05\/260511-iran-rs-1e4818.jpg 2x, https:\/\/media-cldnry.s-nbcnews.com\/image\/upload\/t_fit-560w,f_auto,q_auto:best\/rockcms\/2026-05\/260511-iran-rs-1e4818.jpg 1x\"\/><source media=\"(min-width: 320px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/media-cldnry.s-nbcnews.com\/image\/upload\/t_fit-760w,f_avif,q_auto:eco,dpr_2\/rockcms\/2026-05\/260511-iran-rs-1e4818.jpg 2x, https:\/\/media-cldnry.s-nbcnews.com\/image\/upload\/t_fit-760w,f_auto,q_auto:best\/rockcms\/2026-05\/260511-iran-rs-1e4818.jpg 1x\"\/><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/media-cldnry.s-nbcnews.com\/image\/upload\/t_fit-760w,f_auto,q_auto:best\/rockcms\/2026-05\/260511-iran-rs-1e4818.jpg\" alt=\"IRAN-US-ISRAEL-WAR-DAILYLIFE\" height=\"1667\" width=\"2500\"\/><\/picture><figcaption class=\"caption styles_caption__TCewG\" data-testid=\"caption\"><span class=\"caption__container\" data-testid=\"caption__container\">A woman holds the Iranian flag in front of an anti-U.S. billboard, installed on a building at Valiasr Square in Tehran on Sunday.<\/span><span class=\"caption__source\" data-testid=\"caption__source\">Atta Kenare \/ AFP via Getty Images<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p id=\"anchor-4a9a53\" class=\"body-graf\">China, which Trump has credited with helping bring Iran to the negotiating table, has called for a diplomatic solution to the conflict and criticized U.S. sanctions on Chinese companies and people doing business with Iran as illegal.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"anchor-b82adb\" class=\"body-heading\">Seeking stability<\/h2>\n<p id=\"anchor-e0da22\" class=\"body-graf\">Xi will be eager to avoid having the Iran war dominate the talks, as Beijing believes the summit should focus on the U.S.-China relationship and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcnews.com\/world\/asia\/cfr-taiwan-explained-china-claims-us-involved-rcna343424\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Washington\u2019s stance on Taiwan<\/a>, the self-ruling democracy that Beijing claims as its territory.<\/p>\n<p id=\"anchor-ca4c02\" class=\"body-graf\">The leader-to-leader diplomacy still offers opportunities. \u201cI can\u2019t imagine a meeting, probably not since Nixon and Mao met now decades ago, in which the two leaders have so much latitude with which to make decisions,\u201d Kurt Campbell, who was deputy secretary of state in the Biden administration, said in a recent briefing with reporters. \u201cThey are virtually unencumbered by bureaucratic constraints on both sides.\u201d<\/p>\n<p id=\"anchor-619e45\" class=\"body-graf\">On Thursday morning, Trump will participate in a welcome ceremony and meeting with Xi before he tours the Temple of Heaven, a vast architectural masterpiece dating to the 15th century, followed by a state banquet in the evening. On Friday, he will join Xi for a tea and a working lunch before he departs for Washington. The two leaders are expected to meet at least one more time this year when Trump hosts Xi in Washington.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"styles_inlineImage__FvnTh styles_medium__MEKii\" id=\"anchor-9ce74f\"><picture class=\"styles_image__i32F7\" data-testid=\"picture\" data-flavor=\"fit\" data-original-height=\"1667\" data-original-width=\"2500\"><source media=\"(min-width: 1000px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/media-cldnry.s-nbcnews.com\/image\/upload\/t_fit-560w,f_avif,q_auto:eco,dpr_2\/rockcms\/2025-10\/251030-trump-xi-rs-533d8b.jpg 2x, https:\/\/media-cldnry.s-nbcnews.com\/image\/upload\/t_fit-560w,f_auto,q_auto:best\/rockcms\/2025-10\/251030-trump-xi-rs-533d8b.jpg 1x\"\/><source media=\"(min-width: 320px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/media-cldnry.s-nbcnews.com\/image\/upload\/t_fit-760w,f_avif,q_auto:eco,dpr_2\/rockcms\/2025-10\/251030-trump-xi-rs-533d8b.jpg 2x, https:\/\/media-cldnry.s-nbcnews.com\/image\/upload\/t_fit-760w,f_auto,q_auto:best\/rockcms\/2025-10\/251030-trump-xi-rs-533d8b.jpg 1x\"\/><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/media-cldnry.s-nbcnews.com\/image\/upload\/t_fit-760w,f_auto,q_auto:best\/rockcms\/2025-10\/251030-trump-xi-rs-533d8b.jpg\" alt=\"Image: TOPSHOT-SKOREA-US-CHINA-DIPLOMACY\" height=\"1667\" width=\"2500\"\/><\/picture><figcaption class=\"caption styles_caption__TCewG\" data-testid=\"caption\"><span class=\"caption__container\" data-testid=\"caption__container\">President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping at the Gimhae Air Base in Busan in Oct. 2025.<\/span><span class=\"caption__source\" data-testid=\"caption__source\">Andrew Caballero-Reynolds \/ AFP via Getty Images<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p id=\"anchor-05932a\" class=\"body-graf\">When Trump and Xi <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcnews.com\/world\/asia\/us-china-hope-make-progress-tariffs-trump-xi-meet-south-korea-rcna240445\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">met last year in Busan, South Korea<\/a>, on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit, China committed to buy 12 million tons of American soybeans in 2025 and a minimum of 25 million tons annually for the following three years \u2014 after finalizing a trade truce that came after Trump hiked tariffs on goods from China as high as 145%. Trump also said China agreed to a one-year reprieve on rare-earth mineral export controls, an arrangement he described at the time as likely to be \u201croutinely extended.\u201d<\/p>\n<p id=\"anchor-a2d3f8\" class=\"body-graf\">The White House confirmed that discussions about extending that agreement are active but stopped short of signaling any announcement in Beijing. \u201cIt\u2019s not clear yet if that\u2019s going to be extended now or will need to be extended later,\u201d a second senior administration official said. \u201cWhat both sides want is stability.\u201d<\/p>\n<p id=\"anchor-987337\" class=\"body-graf\">Washington\u2019s leverage has narrowed on other fronts. The U.S. Court of International Trade last week <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcnews.com\/politics\/trump-administration\/federal-court-rules-against-new-global-tariffs-trump-imposed-rcna344156\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">struck down Trump\u2019s 10% global tariffs<\/a>, dealing a blow to one of the administration\u2019s pressure tools and constraining the White House\u2019s ability to enact the sort of coercive options that Trump has commanded during past talks.<\/p>\n<p id=\"anchor-4f6039\" class=\"body-graf\">\u201cLast year, mostly what the Chinese agreed to do was restart exports of rare earths. And I do think there are real questions about whether they\u2019ve actually followed through on that,\u201d said Zack Cooper, a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"anchor-a59eaf\" class=\"body-heading\">Trepidation about Taiwan<\/h2>\n<p id=\"anchor-9621f4\" class=\"body-graf\">One issue that will be closely watched is <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcnews.com\/world\/asia\/us-assesses-china-not-planning-invade-taiwan-2027-rcna264239\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">what Trump says about Taiwan<\/a>, which Beijing has vowed will come under its control by force, if necessary. Like most countries, the U.S. has no formal relations with Taiwan, but it is the island\u2019s biggest international backer and arms supplier.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"styles_inlineImage__FvnTh styles_medium__MEKii\" id=\"anchor-1ab258\"><picture class=\"styles_image__i32F7\" data-testid=\"picture\" data-flavor=\"fit\" data-original-height=\"1666\" data-original-width=\"2500\"><source media=\"(min-width: 1000px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/media-cldnry.s-nbcnews.com\/image\/upload\/t_fit-560w,f_avif,q_auto:eco,dpr_2\/rockcms\/2026-03\/260319-taiwan-mb-0732-103701.jpg 2x, https:\/\/media-cldnry.s-nbcnews.com\/image\/upload\/t_fit-560w,f_auto,q_auto:best\/rockcms\/2026-03\/260319-taiwan-mb-0732-103701.jpg 1x\"\/><source media=\"(min-width: 320px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/media-cldnry.s-nbcnews.com\/image\/upload\/t_fit-760w,f_avif,q_auto:eco,dpr_2\/rockcms\/2026-03\/260319-taiwan-mb-0732-103701.jpg 2x, https:\/\/media-cldnry.s-nbcnews.com\/image\/upload\/t_fit-760w,f_auto,q_auto:best\/rockcms\/2026-03\/260319-taiwan-mb-0732-103701.jpg 1x\"\/><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/media-cldnry.s-nbcnews.com\/image\/upload\/t_fit-760w,f_auto,q_auto:best\/rockcms\/2026-03\/260319-taiwan-mb-0732-103701.jpg\" alt=\"Taiwanese Military Exercise At Xinshe Facility\" height=\"1666\" width=\"2500\"\/><\/picture><figcaption class=\"caption styles_caption__TCewG\" data-testid=\"caption\"><span class=\"caption__container\" data-testid=\"caption__container\">Taiwanese soldiers during a military exercise in Taichung in Jan.<\/span><span class=\"caption__source\" data-testid=\"caption__source\">An Rong Xu \/ Bloomberg via Getty Images<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p id=\"anchor-6f8259\" class=\"body-graf\">Trump has alarmed Taiwan supporters with comments suggesting that he and Xi are discussing <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcnews.com\/world\/asia\/taiwan-parliament-authorizes-signing-stalled-9-billion-us-arms-deals-rcna263313\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">U.S. arms sales to Taiwan,<\/a> which some experts say would violate long-standing U.S. policy prohibiting such consultations with Beijing.<\/p>\n<p id=\"anchor-341ade\" class=\"body-graf\">Asked Monday about selling arms to Taiwan, Trump said: \u201cPresident Xi would like us not to, and I\u2019ll have that discussion. That\u2019s one of the many things I\u2019ll be talking about.\u201d<\/p>\n<p id=\"anchor-45a9ca\" class=\"body-graf\">In addition to curbing arms sales, China hopes to encourage Trump to soften Washington\u2019s stance on Taiwan\u2019s political status.<\/p>\n<p id=\"anchor-8062d1\" class=\"body-graf\">\u201cThey\u2019re keeping their eye on the prize, which they hope will be U.S. concessions on Taiwan, and they don\u2019t want to allow either side to be distracted from that conversation because of events in the Middle East,\u201d said Henrietta Levin, a senior fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies think tank, who was a senior official handling China policy during the Biden administration.<\/p>\n<p id=\"anchor-2f8fe1\" class=\"body-graf\">China has already indicated that it intends to bring up Taiwan, which Chinese Foreign Minister <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcnews.com\/world\/iran\/iran-foreign-minister-meets-chinese-counterpart-week-trumps-beijing-tr-rcna343809\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Wang Yi<\/a> described as \u201cat the very core of China\u2019s core interests,\u201d according to a readout of a recent call with Secretary of State <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcnews.com\/world\/pope-leo-xiv\/marco-rubio-meets-pope-leo-trump-criticism-iran-war-vatican-rcna343991\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Marco Rubio<\/a>, who is on the trip with Trump.<\/p>\n<p id=\"anchor-9f538c\" class=\"body-graf\">China wants the U.S. to revise its stated policy on Taiwan\u2019s status to favor \u201cpeaceful reunification\u201d between the island and mainland China, instead of the current position that calls for \u201cpeaceful resolution.\u201d<\/p>\n<p id=\"anchor-298ada\" class=\"body-graf\">A senior administration official said that U.S. policy on Taiwan had not changed and that no changes were expected. The official also stressed that the U.S. has pressed for a fully funded <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcnews.com\/world\/asia\/taiwan-must-pass-defense-spending-president-says-rcna257377\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Taiwan defense budget<\/a> and that arms sales to Taiwan in Trump\u2019s second term have <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcnews.com\/world\/taiwan\/us-announces-package-arms-sales-taiwan-valued-10-billion-rcna249846\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">outpaced four years<\/a> under the previous administration.<\/p>\n<p id=\"anchor-e9519b\" class=\"body-graf\">Trump said Monday that he expects Taiwan will be part of discussions, saying \u201cit always comes up\u201d and suggesting that the island benefits from support from Japan and other regional partners and drawing a parallel with Ukraine.<\/p>\n<p id=\"anchor-3495bf\" class=\"endmark body-graf\"><em>Katherine Doyle and Jennifer Jett reported from Beijing and Dan De Luce and Andrea Mitchell from Washington.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><br \/>\n<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcnews.com\/politics\/donald-trump\/trade-taiwan-iran-cast-shadows-trumps-china-summit-xi-rcna344049\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>BEIJING \u2014 President Donald Trump will begin a two-day summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing on Thursday as the world\u2019s two biggest economies look to stabilize a trade truce against the backdrop of the simmering U.S. conflict with Iran. Subscribe to read this story ad-free Get unlimited access to ad-free articles and exclusive [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":37684,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[171],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-37683","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-health-conditions"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/pickbydoc.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/37683","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/pickbydoc.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/pickbydoc.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pickbydoc.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pickbydoc.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=37683"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/pickbydoc.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/37683\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":37685,"href":"https:\/\/pickbydoc.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/37683\/revisions\/37685"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pickbydoc.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/37684"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/pickbydoc.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=37683"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pickbydoc.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=37683"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pickbydoc.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=37683"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}