Chinese President Xi Jinping has warned his US counterpart, Donald Trump, that any missteps on Taiwan could push the two countries into conflict.
Xi gave the warning on Thursday in a stark opening salvo as they met in Beijing at a superpower summit.
DAILY POST reports that Trump had arrived in China with accolades for his host, calling Xi a great leader and friend, as he predicted their countries would have a fantastic future together.
However, beyond the pomp as he welcomed Trump, the Chinese President said the two sides should be partners and not rivals, highlighting the issue of Taiwan, which Beijing claims as its territory.
“The Taiwan question is the most important issue in China-US relations. If mishandled, the two nations could collide or even come into conflict, pushing the entire China-US relationship into a highly perilous situation,” Xi said.
Trump’s trip to Beijing is the first by a US president in nearly a decade, with the grand reception belying a roster of unresolved trade and geopolitical tensions between the two countries.
