U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping met on June 29, 2019, on the sidelines of the G20 summit, with discussions centered on restarting trade negotiations between the two countries. Following the meeting, officials from both nations reported that the issue of Taiwan was addressed, but it did not form a significant part of the conversation.
The primary outcome of the approximately 80-minute meeting was an agreement to resume trade talks, which had stalled in the preceding month. President Trump stated after the meeting that he would hold off on imposing new tariffs on Chinese goods. He also announced that U.S. companies would be permitted to sell equipment to Chinese telecommunications firm Huawei where there is no national security problem.
According to a senior U.S. administration official who briefed reporters after the event, President Xi raised the topics of Taiwan and Hong Kong during the talks. The official stated that President Xi explained China’s position on the issues but noted that the discussion on these matters was brief compared to the extensive dialogue on trade and economic relations.
The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs released a readout of the meeting, distributed by state-run news agency Xinhua. According to the statement, President Xi urged the U.S. to adhere to the “one-China principle” and the three U.S.-China joint communiqués. The readout said Xi stated that China’s government is determined to safeguard its sovereignty and territorial integrity and hopes the U.S. will “properly handle the Taiwan issue.”
The meeting occurred amid ongoing diplomatic and military activities related to Taiwan. In the months prior to the G20 summit, U.S. Navy warships conducted several transits through the Taiwan Strait, which the U.S. military describes as routine freedom of navigation operations. The Chinese government registered formal protests in response to these actions. Additionally, the Trump administration had moved forward with potential arms sales to Taiwan, a practice consistent with the Taiwan Relations Act of 1979.
The United States officially follows a “one-China policy,” under which it acknowledges Beijing’s position that there is only one China and that Taiwan is part of China. However, the U.S. maintains robust unofficial relations with Taiwan and, under the Taiwan Relations Act, is committed to providing Taiwan with the means to defend itself. This policy differs from the “one-China principle” espoused by Beijing, which asserts its sovereignty over Taiwan.
