China fair to US: Trump unfazed by Beijing's threat to cancel upcoming Xi summit

US President Donald Trump has said he is not worried that Chinese President Xi Jinping could cancel their planned summit later this month, despite growing tensions over potential new US arms sales to Taiwan.

According to a report by the news agency Reuters, Trump said China had been “fair” with the United States over the last several years, playing down concerns that the Taiwan issue could derail the meeting.

The remarks come after China warned Washington that any fresh arms sales to Taiwan could put the planned Trump-Xi meeting at risk. Beijing has repeatedly made clear that Taiwan remains a “red line” in its relationship with the United States.

The development came after Trump said he would host Xi and his wife at the White House on September 24 and hold a state dinner in their honour. However, the Chinese government has not officially announced Xi’s visit to the United States, leaving the summit's status uncertain.

Xi raised the Taiwan issue when he met Trump in Beijing in mid-May, calling it the “most important issue” in US-China relations and warning of the potential for conflict if it was mishandled.

Trump had said in a television interview at the time that US arms sales to Taiwan could be “a very good negotiating chip” in his dealings with China.

China claims Taiwan as part of its territory and has not ruled out using force to bring the self-governing democratic island under its control. Meanwhile, growing Chinese military activity in and around the Taiwan Strait has raised fears of a wider regional conflict involving the US and its allies.

Under the Taiwan Relations Act, passed by the US Congress after Washington severed diplomatic ties with Taipei in favour of Beijing in 1979, the US provides Taiwan with weapons to help it maintain its ability to defend itself.

The Trump administration announced an $11 billion arms package for Taiwan in December last year, the largest such package ever announced, drawing an angry response from Beijing.WHAT COULD COME UP AT TRUMP-XI SUMMIT

If the meeting goes ahead, Taiwan is expected to be among the most contentious issues on the agenda. The two sides are also expected to discuss the war in Iran, trade and artificial intelligence.

China is a key economic partner of Tehran, while the Trump administration has been pressuring Beijing not to conduct business with Iran. Despite those tensions, a source cited in the India Today report said Beijing had adopted a cooperative approach in its dealings with Washington and was not hindering dialogue.

Economic issues are also expected to feature prominently. The US Treasury and Commerce departments have been negotiating with Beijing, with the presidents expected to discuss a proposed framework to reduce tariffs on $30 billion worth of goods from each side.

A framework for dialogue on artificial intelligence safety is also expected to be on the agenda.

The proposed Trump-Xi meeting would therefore bring together some of the biggest points of friction in US-China relations — Taiwan, trade, Iran and AI — even as Beijing warns that another US arms sale to Taiwan could threaten the summit itself.- EndsPublished By: Akash ChatterjeePublished On: Sep 13, 2026 20:27 IST