Xi warns Taiwan issue could push US-China ties into conflict as Trump praises Chinese leader

US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping opened their high-stakes summit in Beijing on Wednesday with optimistic remarks about future relations between the two countries.

Xi said the world had “arrived at a new crossroads” and called for stronger cooperation between Washington and Beijing.

According to Chinese state media agency Xinhua, Xi said the US and China “should be partners rather than opponents, achieve success for one another, prosper together.”

Trump praised his relationship with the Chinese leader, saying: “It’s an honor to be your friend, and the relationship between China and the USA is going to be better than ever before.”

The leaders later moved into closed-door talks focused on trade, security and tensions surrounding Taiwan.

Xinhua reported that Xi described Taiwan as “the most important issue in China-US relations.”

“If it is handled properly, relations between the two countries can maintain overall stability. If it is not handled properly, the two countries may clash or even come into conflict, pushing the entire China-US relationship into a very dangerous situation,” Xi said.

The summit marks the first face-to-face meeting between Trump and Xi since talks in South Korea last year.

Taiwan and US arms sales to the island remain key flashpoints in relations between the two powers.