[US-China Summit] Xi Jinping: "China and the US Must Overcome the Thucydides Trap" (Comprehensive)

Focus on Bilateral Economic Cooperation at Summit
Xi Issues Strong Warning on Taiwan
Trump Avoids Direct Answer... Personally Introduces CEOs

U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping held a summit at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on the 14th, lasting 2 hours and 15 minutes, and agreed to stabilize U.S.-China relations and expand economic cooperation. However, President Xi strongly warned the United States regarding the Taiwan issue, describing it as "the most important matter in U.S.-China relations."

At the 2019 Group of Twenty (G20) summit, U.S. President Donald Trump (left) and Chinese President Xi Jinping met. The two leaders held a summit meeting for 2 hours and 15 minutes on the 14th at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, agreeing to stabilize U.S.-China relations and expand economic cooperation. Photo by Reuters.

According to China's state-run Xinhua News Agency and Bloomberg, President Xi stated at the summit, "Whether China and the United States can overcome the Thucydides Trap and create a new paradigm for great-power relations is a question posed by history, the world, and our peoples," adding, "We aim to make 2026 a historic milestone that inherits the past and opens the future for U.S.-China relations."

The "Thucydides Trap" referenced by President Xi is an international relations term meaning that war can occur when a rising power threatens to displace an established dominant power. The term originates from the ancient Greek historian Thucydides' work, "History of the Peloponnesian War."

President Xi announced that both countries had agreed to build a "constructive, strategic, and stable U.S.-China relationship." He emphasized, "This will provide strategic guidance for bilateral relations for more than three years to come," and added that their relationship "should not just be about slogans but about joint action."

Regarding economic issues, President Xi said, "The essence of the U.S.-China economic and trade relationship is mutual benefit and win-win cooperation," stressing, "Only equal consultation is the right choice." He continued, "China’s door will be opened even wider in the future," and welcomed the expansion of cooperation with American companies.

In particular, President Xi raised the Taiwan issue with emphasis. He stated, "If the Taiwan issue is handled well, the bilateral relationship can remain stable, but if it is mishandled, the two countries could face confrontation or even fall into conflict," warning, "The United States must handle the Taiwan issue with extreme caution." Previously, China designated the Taiwan issue as one of the "four major red lines" that must not be crossed in bilateral relations.

President Trump praised, "President Xi Jinping is a great leader, and China is a great nation," and added, "The United States and China are the most important and powerful countries in the world." He went on to say, "Our cooperation can achieve great and beneficial things for the world," and expressed his desire to "create the best U.S.-China relationship in history."

President Trump also highlighted the commitment to economic cooperation by personally introducing the American business leaders accompanying him to President Xi. He said, "They are looking forward to trade and business. On our side, the relationship will be completely reciprocal." The delegation to China included numerous CEOs of major U.S. companies, such as Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla; Jensen Huang of Nvidia; Tim Cook of Apple; Larry Fink of BlackRock; and Kelly Ortberg of Boeing.

However, President Trump avoided giving a direct answer to reporters' questions regarding the Taiwan issue, which China has listed as a "red line." After the summit at the Great Hall of the People, he visited the Temple of Heaven with President Xi, but neither leader responded to questions about Taiwan.

The two leaders also exchanged views on the situation in the Middle East, the war in Ukraine, and issues concerning the Korean Peninsula. On this day, as the Middle East conflict entered its 75th day, the United States was expected to urge China to play a mediating role. The two countries also agreed to cooperate to ensure the successful hosting of this year's Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit and the Group of Twenty (G20) Summit.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.