Xi Jinping calls on Trump to “prudently” handle arms sales to Taiwan in a “long and exhaustive” call

Before speaking with the tenant of the White House, the Chinese president held a videoconference meeting with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putinwith whom he celebrated that their bilateral relations were “an important factor of stability” in an international context “of increasing turbulence”, according to the excerpts of the meeting broadcast on Chinese state television CCTV.

Not much more information came out of the virtual meeting, which found an inspired Putin. “For Russian-Chinese relations, it can be safely said that any time of the year is spring,” commented the Russian president.

“Xi Jinping is one of the few leaders whom Vladimir Putin could address as ‘comrade’. But he did not do so. Evidently, high-level protocol prevented him from doing so,” writes the Russian newspaper’s chronicler. Kommersantwhich wanted to reflect the honeymoon that the two leaders are experiencing since the invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

The conversation with Trump did not take place in the same atmosphere of camaraderie, although the US president assured that “the relationship with China, and my personal relationship with President Xi, is extremely good, and we are both aware of how important it is to keep it that way.”

Trump himself explained through a publication in Truth Social that he had had “a long and exhaustive call” with the Chinese leader, in which they discussed a wide range of topics. From bilateral trade, to “the current situation in Iran”, through the always thorny issue of Taiwan.

On this last issue, “the most important in relations between China and the United States,” in Xi’s words, the Chinese president reminded Trump of the need to “prudently handle the issue of arms sales” to the autonomous island, which Beijing considers a separatist province.

“Taiwan is China’s territory. China must safeguard its own sovereignty and territorial integrity, and will never allow Taiwan to separate,” states the statement from the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which pursues the goal of “reunification” without renouncing military means.

Beijing believes it has reason to be angry. In December, Washington approved an arms package for Taipei valued at $11.1 billion. It was the largest arms sale to the island in history, and China responded with the largest live-fire military exercises around Taiwan on record.

This Wednesday, Xi wanted to make it clear to Trump that the parties “can find solutions to each other’s concerns.” The only thing that is needed – insists the Chinese president – ​​is to grease the communication channels.

The last time Trump and Xi met was in October, on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation, held in Busan, where they reached an agreement to reduce US tariffs on Chinese imports in exchange for Beijing making efforts to stop the marketing of chemicals used to produce fentanyl.

“The curious thing,” underlines the chronicle of Kommersant— is that Xi’s conversations with Putin and Trump occurred less than 24 hours before the expiration of New START,” although neither party made any reference to the matter.

The treaty, signed sixteen years ago by the presidents Barack Obama y Dmitri Medvédevlimited the number of strategic nuclear weapons. This time, there will be no extension.