Chinese President Xi Jinping warned US President Donald Trump of “clashes and even conflict” over Taiwan during the opening day of their major summit in Beijing. China’s foreign ministry released Xi’s remarks after the two leaders held a meeting that lasted more than two hours on Thursday morning.

Taiwan Takes Centre Stage

Xi said Taiwan remains “the most important issue in the China-US relations.” China pushed Taiwan to the top of the summit agenda. Beijing wanted to avoid the issue being overshadowed by the Iran war and trade disputes.

China claims Taiwan as part of its territory, even though the island governs itself. Xi has made “unification” with Taiwan a key goal of his leadership. He has also refused to rule out the use of force.

Trump Says Xi Promised Not to Arm Iran

After the meeting, Trump said Xi promised not to send military equipment to Iran, which is currently fighting a war with the United States.

“He said he’s not going to give military equipment, that’s a big statement,” Trump said. He added that Xi said it “strongly”.

Trump also said Xi wants the Strait of Hormuz to remain open. “But at the same time, he said, you know, they buy a lot of their oil there, and they’d like to keep doing that. He’d like to see Hormuz Strait opened.”

Trump made the remarks after reports claimed that a Chinese arms manufacturer had discussed possible weapons deals with Tehran.

Earlier this month, several US media outlets reported that China had considered sending shoulder-fired surface-to-air missiles, known as Manpads, to Iran through third countries to hide their origin. Beijing denied those reports.

US and China Release Different Details

China’s foreign ministry said the leaders also discussed the Ukraine war and tensions on the Korean peninsula. The White House said the talks included market access for American companies in China and fentanyl controls. China’s official statement did not mention those issues.

The White House also said both countries agreed that the Strait of Hormuz must stay open to protect global energy supplies. According to Washington, Xi also suggested that China could buy more oil from the United States to reduce dependence on Iran.

Rubio Responds to Taiwan Warning

After China released its statement, Marco Rubio said America’s position on Taiwan had not changed.“They always raise it on their side. We always make clear our position, and we move on to the other topics," Rubio told NBC News on Thursday.

Leaders Hold High-Stakes Meeting

Xi and Trump met in Beijing for a summit focused on global conflicts, trade tensions, and artificial intelligence. Trump arrived at the Great Hall of the People on Thursday for the summit’s opening ceremony. The building stands next to Tiananmen Square in Beijing.

After the ceremony, the two leaders held face-to-face talks and discussed several major international issues.