politics
Trump and Xi Jinping Meet for Two-Day Summit in Beijing
The U.S. and Chinese presidents held a two-hour, 15-minute meeting on May 14, 2026, at the start of a two-day summit in Beijing. Xi Jinping warned that mishandling Taiwan could lead to clashes, while the American side emphasized trade, the Iran war and an invitation for a future White House visit. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said U.S. policy on Taiwan remains unchanged.
May 14, 9:16 AM·1m read10 sources
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President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping met for two hours and 15 minutes on May 14, 2026, in Beijing at the start of a two-day summit. According to CNBC, Xi asked Trump whether the United States and China can avoid the “Thucydides Trap” during their talks.
Trump described the talks as extremely positive in a toast at a state banquet that evening and invited Xi to the White House on September 24, 2026. The two leaders are scheduled to meet again on May 15.
The American side focused on trade, artificial intelligence safety, and the situation in the Strait of Hormuz. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the United States was not asking for China’s help with Iran. Both sides agreed the Strait of Hormuz should not be militarized and that there should not be a tolling system on the strait, Rubio stated.
Rubio, who traveled to Beijing despite Chinese sanctions imposed in 2020, said China would prefer not to take military action against Taiwan. The U.S. intelligence community’s annual report released in March 2026 stated there is no invasion of Taiwan planned for 2027.
Trump said last year that Xi has assured him he won’t take any action on Taiwan while Trump is in office. Rubio acknowledged that China has increased military pressure on Taiwan.
Xi told Trump that achieving the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation and Making America Great Again can go hand in hand, according to Beijing’s foreign ministry. Xi also said the China-U.S. relationship is the most important bilateral relationship in the world and must never be messed up.
Trump said the relationship between the U.S. and China is good for the world and that the two countries should be partners, not rivals.
The leaders were joined by business executives, including Elon Musk and Jensen Huang, for the state banquet following their initial meeting. Trump thanked Xi for the hospitality. The U.S. delegation departed down a red-carpeted staircase.
