Xi urges US to handle Taiwan issue 'carefully'

Details of Korean Peninsula discussions not disclosed

[AP/Yonhap]
[AP/Yonhap]

Chinese President Xi Jinping said the two countries reached a new trade agreement at a summit with US President Donald Trump in Washington, calling for expanded cooperation. Xi also urged the United States to handle the Taiwan issue carefully, and the two leaders discussed the Korean Peninsula, according to reports.

China's state-run Xinhua News Agency reported that Xi told Trump at the White House on Thursday that "the two sides' economic and trade teams have reached a new joint agreement," calling it "good news for the business communities and people of both countries, and for the world economy."

Xi said he hoped "both sides will make mutual concessions and pursue mutual benefit, promoting the sustained, stable and positive development of China-US economic and trade relations."

However, Xi again urged Washington to handle the Taiwan issue with care.

"I hope the US side will uphold its correct position of opposing 'Taiwan independence,' handle the Taiwan issue carefully, and lay a solid foundation for China-US strategic cooperation and the development of bilateral relations," he said. "China's position on safeguarding national reunification and territorial integrity is very clear."

China regards Taiwan as the core of its core interests and has strongly opposed US arms sales to the island.

Xi also urged the United States and Iran to resolve their differences through negotiations.

"China has consistently believed that the sovereignty and security of all countries should be respected, and has played a constructive role in easing tensions," he said, adding that Beijing supports a return to the Islamabad MOU — signed in June and containing provisions on ending the war — that the two sides had concluded.

He said he hoped "both sides will return as soon as possible to the track of resolving issues through dialogue and negotiations, ultimately reaching a comprehensive agreement that includes the nuclear issue, and achieving peace at the earliest opportunity."

Xi also addressed AI, an area where the two countries have struggled to narrow differences over regulation. "Both China and the United States are major AI powers," he said. "There is competition between the two sides, but cooperation is also possible. We should each play to our strengths rather than putting up guards and defenses against each other."

Xi added that "both sides should continue AI dialogue, exchange views on risks and benefits, and jointly prevent misuse and abuse," and said it was essential to "maintain human control over AI technology, adhere to a human-centered and benevolent approach, and ensure that AI contributes to human development."

On the broader bilateral relationship, Xi said the concept of "constructive strategic stability" reflected the reality of US-China relations and embodied expectations for the future, calling it "an important step forward on the path toward the two countries coexisting in the right way."

He urged both sides to "translate this vision into action and open up a more stable, healthy and sustainable future for US-China relations."

Xinhua said the two leaders also exchanged views on "major international and regional issues," including the Korean Peninsula, the situation in the Middle East and the Ukraine crisis, but did not disclose the specifics of those discussions.

Xinhua also reported that Trump described Xi's state visit to the United States as a "great visit," saying, "The United States and China are both great powers, and President Xi and I are good friends who maintain deep and close communication."


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