Trump wraps up visit to China after talks on trade, stern words on Taiwan
President Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping conclude their summit in Beijing on Friday as both countries look to claim the visit as a win.
The leaders of the two superpowers are holding a bilateral tea and taking a friendship photo on Friday before Mr. Trump leaves China and heads back to Washington. The two presidents met in a closed-door session on Thursday that lasted roughly two hours and 15 minutes. Mr. Trump characterized that meeting as "great."
Mr. Trump told Fox News after Thursday's formal meeting that Xi said he's not going to give any military equipment to Iran, which the U.S. president called a "big statement." It remains to be seen if Xi follows through. Mr. Trump also told Fox News that Xi wants to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz , which has been effectively closed. China is Iran's biggest oil customer.
According to Chinese state media, Xi warned Mr. Trump of possible "clashes and even conflicts" if the Taiwan issue isn't "handled properly." It was a stern warning, but the U.S. didn't mention Taiwan in its readout of the meeting. Mr. Trump and Xi ignored questions about Taiwan.
Taiwan is central to China's interests, as it vows to retake control of the island and refuses to rule out using military force to accomplish that goal. The U.S. has opposed any unilateral change to Taiwan's status, and has provided billions in military support to the island, but has a policy of not stating outright whether it would come to Taiwan's defense if it is invaded by China.
A regional source confirmed to CBS News' Margaret Brennan that China brought up Taiwan in Thursday's talks. The U.S. then acknowledged Beijing's position and repeated Washington's view, and the conversation moved on to the next topic. A senior administration official told CBS News' Sara Cook that both sides reiterated their long-stated stance on the issue and everyone understands each other's position.