Xi Tells Trump US Should Exercise Caution in Supplying Arms to Taiwan

China’s President Xi Jinping has described Taiwan as “the most important issue” in China-US relations during a phone conversation with US President Donald Trump.

Xi reportedly urged Trump to exercise caution when supplying weapons to the island, emphasising that he attached “great importance” to China-US ties and hoped both sides could find ways to resolve their differences.

Trump described Wednesday’s call as “excellent” and “long and thorough.”

The conversation follows a series of visits by Western leaders to China in recent months, aimed at resetting relations with the world’s second-largest economy. Trump is also scheduled to visit China in April, a trip he said he is “very much” looking forward to. He added that Beijing is considering purchasing 20 million tonnes of US soybeans, up from the current 12 million tonnes.

“The relationship with China, and my personal relationship with President Xi, is an extremely good one, and we both realize how important it is to keep it that way,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.

In addition to Taiwan and soybeans, the two leaders discussed Russia’s war in Ukraine, the situation in Iran, and China’s purchases of US oil and gas. On Taiwan, Xi reiterated that the self-governed island is “China’s territory” and said Beijing “must safeguard [Taiwan’s] sovereignty and territorial integrity.”

“The United States must handle the issue of arms sales to Taiwan with prudence,” he warned.

China has long vowed to “reunify” with Taiwan and has not ruled out the use of force. The US maintains formal diplomatic ties with Beijing but remains Taiwan’s largest arms supplier. In December, the Trump administration announced an $11 billion arms package for Taiwan, including advanced rocket launchers, self-propelled howitzers, and various missiles. China condemned the sale as supporting Taiwan’s independence, warning it could escalate tensions across the Taiwan Strait.

Xi told Trump, “Just as the United States has its concerns, China for its part also has concerns. If the two sides work in the same direction in the spirit of equality, respect and mutual benefit, we can surely find ways to address each other’s concerns.”

Taiwan’s leader, Lai Ching-te, said Thursday that relations with the US remain “rock solid” and that all ongoing cooperation projects are continuing.

Xi and Trump previously spoke in November, when the Chinese leader invited his US counterpart to visit. Relations between the countries have improved in recent months following last year’s tariff disputes and tensions over chips and rare earths. Although these issues remain points of contention, tensions eased after the leaders met in South Korea in October and agreed to de-escalate some tariffs and export controls. Negotiators also established frameworks for deals on US soybean exports to China and on TikTok, which was finalised last month.

Hours before speaking with Trump, Xi held a virtual meeting with Russia’s President Vladimir Putin, in which both leaders praised growing China-Russia ties. Putin reportedly accepted Xi’s invitation to visit China in the first half of the year.

Chinese state media framed Xi’s discussions with both leaders as a signal of China’s commitment to being a responsible and stabilising global power. A China Daily editorial said the calls demonstrate Beijing’s willingness to promote dialogue, coordination, and world peace at a time when “confrontation and unilateralism are on the rise.”

“In doing so, China is showing other major players the importance of refocusing on dialogue and cooperation,” the editorial added.