Xi Warns Trump Mishandling Taiwan Could Drive Relations to Perilous Point

China's President Xi Jinping informed US President Donald Trump that failing to manage the Taiwan matter properly could spark clashes or outright conflict, thrusting bilateral ties into a highly precarious position, Xinhua reported.

Trump hailed Xi as an exceptional leader and personal friend while initiating two days of discussions focused on their delicate trade ceasefire and the Iran conflict, which has cast a shadow over the proceedings amid stalled negotiations.

Xi emphasized Taiwan as the paramount concern in China-US relations, per Xinhua.

Taiwanese cabinet spokesperson Michelle Lee expressed profound gratitude for Washington's steadfast backing when queried about the Beijing summit, underscoring repeated US affirmations of support for the island.

A Taiwan government official, speaking anonymously, attributed all instability in the Taiwan Strait and wider Indo-Pacific to China's military posturing.

Beijing regards Taiwan, with its democratic governance, as an inseparable part of its sovereign territory - a stance firmly denied by Taipei - and vehemently objects to American weapons sales to the self-ruled entity.

This Beijing summit marks the first journey to China by a sitting US president since Trump's 2017 visit during his initial tenure.

China Restores Export Licenses for Numerous US Beef Facilities

Chinese customs authorities renewed permits for hundreds of American beef processing operations on Thursday, data indicated, signaling a potential olive branch.

Over 400 US beef plants had forfeited export access in the prior year after Beijing's approvals, issued from March 2020 to April 2021, expired without routine extensions - impacting about 65% of previously approved sites.

"This gesture demonstrates China's willingness to extend courtesies in less contentious aspects of US-China commerce," observed Xu Hongzhi, a leading expert at Beijing Orient Agribusiness Consultants.

The move should boost morale among US beef industry stakeholders, who learned recently that White House officials planned to address the matter at the summit.

Cargill CEO Brian Sikes joined other top US executives traveling with Trump; facilities from Cargill and Tyson Foods featured among those relicensed.

Battered by the US-China trade dispute, beef shipments from America to China dwindled to roughly $500 million last year, a sharp decline from the 2022 high of $1.7 billion.

Reuters could not yet pinpoint the exact timing of the license renewals.