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Trump in Beijing

On May 14, 2026

At 6:57 am

In General

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I have no strong opinions on the Trump-Xi summit yet, but here are some resources… Xi is serious about movement on Taiwan:

Chinese leader Xi Jinping warned President Trump that any mishandling of Taiwan could lead to “an extremely dangerous situation,” directly raising a point of tension that has loomed over what the U.S. president said at the start could be “the best summit ever.”
Xi’s statement, while in line with China’s longstanding position, threatened to dim the mood of a visit both countries hoped would stabilize ties. The meetings that began Thursday morning at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing were billed as a gathering of superpowers to quell economic and trade disputes.
Those topics were indeed raised, including discussions of trade ties, U.S. access to the Chinese market, Beijing’s investment in U.S. industries and its purchases of American agricultural products.
Xi, however, aims to weaken the U.S. commitment to Taiwan, a self-governing democracy that Beijing seeks to bring under its control.
“Handled well, relations between the two countries can maintain overall stability,” the Chinese leader said. “If handled poorly, the two countries will collide or even clash, putting the entire U.S.-China relationship in an extremely dangerous situation.”

Trump brought the whole crew:

Mr. Rubio, a fierce China hawk, was sanctioned by Beijing in 2020 over comments he made about human rights abuses in the Xinjiang region. Mr. Bessent has described Beijing as an ”unreliable trade partner.” And Mr. Hegseth has criticized China’s “destabilizing actions” in the South China Sea as an urgent “wake-up call” to the world.
Mr. Xi also shook hands with Stephen Miller, Mr. Trump’s deputy chief of staff, who has accused China of having “distorted the entire global trading system” through “theft.” Flanking Mr. Miller was James Blair, a deputy chief of staff trusted with guiding the president’s legislative agenda through Congress, who is currently in charge of steering Mr. Trump’s political operation ahead of the midterm elections in November.
Standing behind Mr. Trump’s most senior staff was a phalanx of leaders of industry, many of whom want more access to the Chinese market. Brian Sikes, the chief executive of the agricultural giant Cargill, is seeking to restore purchases of U.S. beef, sorghum and soybeans. Kelly Ortberg, the chief executive at Boeing, is likewise hoping to win a major order from China.