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- Xí emphasizes that Taiwan will eventually be integrated into China.
- The US and China are close to reaching an agreement on critical resources like rare earth minerals and soybeans.
- Under the proposed deal, the US plans to reduce tariffs on Chinese goods.
Chinese President Xi Jinping and U.S. President Donald Trump had a phone conversation Monday discussing bilateral cooperation and Taiwan, according to Beijing’s official media.
Xi urged Trump to keep up the momentum in their relationship, reflecting on their recent meeting in South Korea aimed at easing tensions in their ongoing trade disputes.
Regarding Taiwan, Xi reiterated that the island’s “return to China remains an essential part” of the global order, as reported by Xinhua. China considers Taiwan to be a part of its territory.
Recent comments by Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi suggesting Tokyo might intervene militarily if Taiwan comes under attack have further heightened tensions in the region.
While the United States officially does not recognize Taiwan as an independent state, it remains Taipei’s primary partner and supplier of military aid.
Taipei’s top diplomat, Lin Chia-lung, expressed earlier this month some concern that future high-level talks between Trump and Xi could overlook Taiwan’s interests.
“It’s a concern, but not cause for panic—diminishing Taiwan’s interests could also harm U.S. strategic goals,” Lin noted.
Trump and Xi’s first meeting since 2019 took place in late October, amid heightened global focus on their complex economic relationship involving everything from rare earths to port fees.
The ongoing conflict has disrupted markets and supply chains worldwide for months.
U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent indicated hope that a deal to secure supplies of rare earth minerals could be finalized by Thanksgiving, which is on Thursday this year.
A tentative agreement from last month’s talks involved China agreeing to suspend certain export restrictions on key minerals for a year.
China dominates the mining and processing of rare earths, crucial for advanced electronics, automotive, aerospace, and defense industries.
Under the terms of the deal, the U.S. will reduce tariffs on Chinese goods, and Beijing has committed to purchasing at least 12 million metric tons of American soybeans this year and 25 million tons in 2026.
Xi told Trump that their recent meeting in South Korea helped set the direction and renewed energy for the often-turbulent China-U.S. relationship, according to Xinhua.
Since then, bilateral ties have remained steady and have shown signs of improvement, a development welcomed globally.
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