As Trump entered the room to meet Xi, a camera appeared to be knocked to the floor, triggering a brief scuffle. Amid the chaos, someone could reportedly be heard shouting: “Get the f*** out of here.”
The tense moment set the tone for a meeting that quickly highlighted the growing divide between the two global powers.
During the opening remarks, Trump struck a warm and complimentary tone toward the Chinese leader, praising Xi in front of reporters.
“You’re a great leader,” Trump said.
“Sometimes people don’t like me saying it, but I say it anyway, because it’s true.”
He continued: “It’s an honour to be with you. It’s an honour to be your friend,” before confidently predicting that “the relationship between China and the USA is going to be better than ever before.”
Discussion over Taiwan
Xi, however, adopted a noticeably more serious tone, issuing warnings about the future of US-China relations, particularly over Taiwan.
According to a statement later shared on X by Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning, Xi told Trump that “the Taiwan question is the most important issue in China-US relations.”
He reportedly warned that how Washington handles the issue could ultimately lead to ‘conflicts.’
Xi also referenced the so-called ‘Thucydides Trap,’ a theory in international relations suggesting that war often breaks out when a rising global power threatens to overtake an established one.
He questioned ‘whether the two countries can transcend the ‘Thucydides Trap’ and forge a new model for relations between major powers.’
“Cooperation benefits both sides, while confrontation harms both,” Xi said.
“The two countries should be partners rather than rivals.”
The contrasting tones between the two leaders underscored how far apart they remain on several major geopolitical issues, including tensions surrounding Taiwan, ongoing trade disputes, and the
conflict involving Iran.
Trump and Xi later held roughly two hours of private talks inside the Great Hall of the People, where they reportedly discussed trade and broader international concerns.
However, despite the grand ceremony and symbolic displays of diplomacy, the summit is already being viewed by some observers as more focused on optics than any major political breakthrough.