Xi Pushes Trump on Taiwan, Citing WWII ‘Joint Victory’ to Justify Reunification
Chinese leader invokes wartime alliance in pointed Taiwan warning.
In a closely watched telephone conversation on Monday, Chinese President Xi Jinping directly pressed United States President Donald Trump on the Taiwan issue, framing the island’s eventual reunification with the mainland as an “integral part” of the post-World War II international order forged through the joint victory of China and the United States against fascism and militarism.
China’s foreign ministry stated that Xi emphasised the historic responsibility of both nations to “jointly safeguard the victory of WWII,” explicitly linking that shared legacy to Beijing’s longstanding claim over Taiwan. The readout added that Trump acknowledged “how important the Taiwan question is to China,” a formulation that immediately drew attention in diplomatic circles.
Taiwan’s Premier Cho Jung-tai responded firmly on Tuesday, rejecting any notion of “return” and reaffirming that Taiwan is a fully sovereign democratic state. The exchange unfolded against a backdrop of fresh regional friction triggered by Japan’s new Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, who declared this month that Tokyo could intervene militarily in the event of an attack on Taiwan, prompting sharp protests from Beijing.
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Despite the pointed disagreement over Taiwan, both leaders highlighted progress on the economic front and confirmed upcoming high-level visits: President Trump will travel to China in April 2026, while President Xi is scheduled to visit Washington later the same year. They pledged to sustain momentum from last month’s breakthrough meeting in South Korea that produced a one-year suspension of certain Chinese rare-earth export restrictions and a phased reduction of US tariffs.
The conversation also touched on the war in Ukraine, with Xi reiterating Beijing’s official neutrality and support for a political resolution, while Trump continues his push for a swift settlement. With a self-imposed US deadline approaching to finalise a comprehensive rare-earth supply agreement by Thanksgiving, both sides characterised current China–US relations as maintaining a steady and broadly positive trajectory welcomed by the international community.
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