“The way you respond to a China flex is with a flex. China needs to stop being a personal trainer for our adversaries.
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Trump and Xi Hold High-Stakes Beijing Summit; China Warns Over Taiwan
May 14, 2026
President Trump traveled to Beijing on May 13-14, 2026 for a two-day summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping — the first U.S. presidential state visit to China in years. Xi placed Taiwan at the center of talks, calling it "the most important issue" and warning that if it is "mishandled," the two countries "will have clashes and even conflicts, putting the entire relationship in great jeopardy." The two leaders agreed on a framework for "constructive strategic stability," that the Strait of Hormuz must remain open, and that Iran should not acquire nuclear weapons. Trade, tariffs, AI, and rare earths were also on the agenda. A major pre-summit flashpoint: Trump had not formally notified Congress of a $14 billion in arms sales to Taiwan that Congress pre-approved in January 2025. A bipartisan group of eight senators — led by Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC) — sent Trump a letter urging him to proceed with the sale. A second bipartisan letter, led by Sens. Bennet (D-CO) and Curtis (R-UT), urged Secretary Rubio to reaffirm U.S. commitments under the Taiwan Relations Act.
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“What we are hearing from our sources is the President does not want to notice the arms sale before he goes to China. Well, what better time to notice it than when he is going to China? Because that sends a very strong message that we are going to be there and China should keep its mitts off of Taiwan.
“You should make clear to Beijing that as you seek to level the economic playing field, American support for Taiwan is not up for negotiation. The conventional and asymmetric capabilities we provide — drones, anti-ship missiles, radar systems and mines — make a Chinese invasion prohibitively costly and thereby help preserve the peaceful status quo.