What to know about Xi’s warning to Trump over the ‘Taiwan Question’

China's President Xi Jinping speaks as he meets with President Donald Trump at the Great Hall of the People, Thursday, May 14, 2026, in Beijing. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein) 2026-05-14T13:56:41Z HONG KONG (AP) — China on Thursday stepped up its tough stance on Taiwan , an island democracy it deems its territory, warning the United States that Beijing and Washington will “have clashes and even conflicts” if the issue is not handled properly. China’s President Xi Jinping stressed during his summit with U.S. President Donald Trump that the “ Taiwan question ” is the most important issue in ties between Beijing and Washington, according to a readout from the Chinese foreign ministry. “‘Taiwan independence’ and cross-Strait peace are as irreconcilable as fire and water,” Xi told Trump, according to the statement. Xi’s stern tone reflected China’s growing pressure on the U.S. , Taiwan’s largest unofficial ally. The U.S. is required by law to ensure Taiwan can defend itself but officially maintains a position of what has been called strategic ambiguity — leaving the question of whether it would get involved militarily if China decided to reclaim Taiwan by force. “If it is handled properly, the bilateral relationship will enjoy overall stability. Otherwise, the two countries will have clashes and even conflicts, putting the entire relationship in great jeopardy,” Xi said, according to the ministry. Beijing has already ramped up a campaign over the past few years to lure away Taiwan’s diplomatic allies and increase military pressure on the island. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Thursday that U.S. policy toward Taiwan was “unchanged” but warned that it would be “a terrible mistake” for China to take Taiwan by force. “U.S. policy on the issue of Taiwan is unchanged as of today,” he said in an interview with NBC News. (