Xi-Trump meeting: Trump to discuss Taiwan arms sales, jailed HK tycoon Jimmy Lai
發佈日期: 2026-05-12 20:13
TVB News
US President Donald Trump will begin his state visit to China tomorrow.
He says topics to be discussed in Beijing include arms sales to Taiwan and the case of former media tycoon Jimmy Lai.
Beijing says they will not make concessions on the issues.
Reportedly, top executives from companies including Tesla, Apple and Boeing will accompany Trump on the trip.
At the invitation of President Xi Jinping, US President Donald Trump will embark on his China trip on Wednesday through Friday.
On Thursday, Xi and Trump are scheduled to hold a bilateral meeting in Beijing.
US officials revealed the two heads of state will discuss trade, tariff, rare earth, AI and the situation in Iran.
Speaking in the White House on Monday, Trump reiterated his rapport with President Xi and his high hopes on the China trip.
US President DONALD TRUMP: "I have a great relationship with President Xi. We're doing a lot of business, but it's smart business. We used to be taken advantage of for years with our previous presidents, and now we're doing great with China. We make a lot money with China. I respect him a lot. And hopefully he respects me."
Trump says he believes Xi also hoped to see tensions surrounding Iran and the Strait of Hormuz resolved.
When asked about jailed ex-media tycoon Jimmy Lai, Trump says the issue will be on the agenda.
TRUMP: "Jimmy Lai, you know, did cause a lot of bedlam. Yeah, I don't know. And I'd like to see him get out, too, so I'll bring him up again. I have brought him up."
Beijing earlier described Lai as a key figure involved in anti-China and Hong Kong unrest and urged foreign countries to respect China's sovereignty and Hong Kong's rule of law.
According to reports, a bipartisan group of US senators last week urged Trump to move ahead quickly with a proposed 14 billion-US-dollar arms package for Taiwan, including air defence missiles.
Trump confirmed he would discuss US arms sales with Xi.
TRUMP: "Do you think we should still be selling them weapons. United States should be... ...? Well, I'm going to have that discussion with President Xi. President Xi would like us not to. And I'll have that discussion. That's one of the many things I'll be talking about."
Mainland Chinese analysts said developments in China-US relations would have a major impact on the international landscape with Taiwan remaining the central issue in this round of high-level engagement and one involving China's core interest -- where Beijing would not compromise.
An editorial in the People's Daily described Taiwan as a "red line that shall not be crossed" and the biggest point of risk in Sino-US relations, urging Washington to honour their commitments and safeguard global stability.
Bloomberg reported that the White House had invited senior executives from multiple major US companies to join the delegation.
They include Elon Musk of Tesla, Apple's Tim Cook as well as executives from Boeing, Goldman Sachs, Blackstone, Visa and Master Card.
Trump is reportedly seeking trade and procurement agreements with China during the visit.
Reports say Nvidia's Jensen Huang, meanwhile, will not join the trip.
Reuters cited sources as saying that the White House has chosen to focus the visit on agriculture and commercial aviation
rather than semiconductors.
