For the first time since 2017, former US President Donald Trump is sitting down with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing today. The two leaders are discussing trade, tech competition, and the growing threat of a military clash over Taiwan. The island sits at the center of the most dangerous flashpoint in US-China relations right now. China’s government insists Taiwan is part of its territory, while the US keeps sending weapons and diplomatic support to Taipei. That puts Washington and Beijing on a collision course neither side seems ready to back down from. The summit is the first time Trump and Xi have met in person since the former left office in 2021, and the timing couldn’t be more urgent. Global markets are watching closely, but the real stakes are in the Taiwan Strait. China has stepped up military drills around the island, and its leaders keep repeating their promise to take Taiwan back—by force if necessary. The US, in turn, has sent warships through the strait and backed Taiwan’s defense industry with billions in arms sales. The last time tensions flared this high was in 2022 after Nancy Pelosi visited Taipei. China responded with live-fire drills that nearly closed off the strait for days. This summit is Beijing’s chance to reset the tone—or ramp things up even further. Trump’s presence alone changes the equation. He’s already warned China not to attack Taiwan, but he’s also pushed for tougher trade policies against Beijing. His unpredictability makes allies nervous, but it also gives him leverage in Beijing that other leaders don’t have. For Taiwan’s 23 million people, the meeting is a moment of high anxiety. The island has built a thriving democracy and economy despite never being formally recognized as a country by most nations. It’s one of Asia’s success stories, but its future now depends on decisions made thousands of miles away in Washington and Beijing. ## Why Taiwan matters to the US and China China sees Taiwan as a breakaway province that must reunify with the mainland. The country’s constitution still claims the island as part of China, and Xi has made it clear he won’t tolerate any moves toward formal independence. For Beijing, losing Taiwan would be a humiliation—and a strategic disaster that could embolden other regions seeking independence. The US, meanwhile, has long followed a policy called “strategic ambiguity.” It doesn’t promise to defend Taiwan in a war but keeps enough military and diplomatic support that China can’t assume it could take the island without a fight. That policy is wearing thin. China’s military buildup in recent years has outpaced most forecasts. It now has the world’s largest navy and a missile arsenal that can hit US bases in the Pacific. Taiwan’s military, while well-trained, is outgunned. The island’s defense minister recently admitted that Taipei can’t hold off a full-scale invasion without outside help. The US has sent billions in weapons, including advanced fighter jets and missiles, but experts say Taiwan needs to do more to prepare its own forces for a possible blockade or amphibious assault. The risk isn’t just a full-scale invasion. A Chinese blockade of Taiwan’s ports could strangle the island’s economy in weeks. Taiwan makes 90% of the world’s advanced semiconductors, chips that power everything from iPhones to fighter jets. A prolonged shutdown would ripple through global supply chains, causing shortages and price spikes for tech products worldwide. That’s why even Japan and Europe are quietly pushing for restraint. ## What Trump brings to the table Trump’s return to the political stage has scrambled the calculations in both Beijing and Taipei. During his first term, he imposed tariffs on Chinese goods, pulled the US out of trade deals like the TPP, and pushed for a tougher stance on China overall. But he also praised Xi personally and played down human rights issues to secure trade deals. This time, his tone is harder. He’s already suggested he might ease tariffs if China helps with North Korea or Ukraine, but he’s also warned Xi not to invade Taiwan. His unpredictability is a wildcard. Beijing has spent years trying to figure out how to deal with him, and his unpredictability gives him leverage. If Trump pushes too hard, China might retaliate with economic sanctions or cyberattacks. If he’s too soft, hawks in Washington will accuse him of selling out Taiwan. The summit is also a test for Xi. After years of consolidating power, Xi has made reunification with Taiwan a cornerstone of his legacy. But he can’t afford a war right now. China’s economy is slowing, its property sector is in crisis, and its population is aging fast. A full-scale invasion of Taiwan would trigger global sanctions, cripple trade, and likely isolate China for decades. Yet doing nothing risks looking weak at home, especially as nationalist sentiment rises. The meeting in Beijing is a chance for both leaders to ease tensions—or set the stage for a crisis neither can control. ## What happens next The summit itself won’t resolve the Taiwan issue. But it could set the tone for the next few years. If Trump and Xi find common ground on trade or North Korea, tensions might ease temporarily. If they clash, the risk of miscalculation grows. Taiwan, meanwhile, is bracing for more pressure. Its president, Tsai Ing-wen, has called for international support but also warned against overreacting. The island’s military is upgrading its reserves and civil defense programs, trying to make any invasion as costly as possible for Beijing. The broader question is whether the US and China can find a way to coexist without stumbling into war. So far, neither side has shown much willingness to compromise. The Taiwan issue isn’t going away—and neither is the risk that a single misstep could turn a standoff into a full-blown conflict.

What You Need to Know

  • Source: France 24
  • Published: May 17, 2026 at 05:50 UTC
  • Category: World
  • Topics: #france24 · #world-news · #europe · #war · #military · #defense

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Curated by GlobalBR News · May 17, 2026

🇧🇷 Resumo em Português

A tensão entre os Estados Unidos e a China atingiu um novo patamar nesta semana, com o encontro histórico entre Donald Trump e Xi Jinping em Pequim, justamente quando as disputas em torno de Taiwan ganham contornos cada vez mais explosivos. O diálogo, que ocorre em meio a uma escalada de provocações e exercícios militares no Estreito de Taiwan, coloca em xeque não apenas a estabilidade regional, mas também os interesses geopolíticos e econômicos do Brasil e dos países lusófonos, especialmente aqueles que mantêm laços comerciais com as duas superpotências.

O Brasil, como maior economia da América Latina e um dos principais parceiros comerciais da China na região, vê sua posição de equilíbrio delicadamente ameaçada por essa escalada. A dependência brasileira de exportações agrícolas e minerais para o gigante asiático — que representam mais de 30% do total exportado pelo país — torna o Brasil vulnerável a eventuais represálias chinesas em caso de um conflito aberto. Além disso, a crise em Taiwan afeta diretamente a cadeia global de semicondutores, um setor no qual o Brasil, embora ainda incipiente, tem buscado se inserir, o que poderia sofrer impactos severos com um choque nas relações sino-americanas. Para os países de língua portuguesa, a situação é ainda mais sensível: Angola e Moçambique, por exemplo, dependem fortemente do comércio com a China e poderiam ser arrastados para um cenário de instabilidade econômica global.

Se o encontro entre Trump e Xi não resultar em um compromisso concreto para reduzir as tensões, o mundo poderá testemunhar não apenas uma nova fase de confrontação militar, mas também um rearranjo radical das relações comerciais e diplomáticas que moldam a economia global — e o Brasil terá de se preparar para navegar nesse mar de incertezas.

🇪🇸 Resumen en Español

El encuentro entre Donald Trump y Xi Jinping en Pekín se produce en un momento de máxima tensión por Taiwán, un tema que amenaza con redefinir el tablero geopolítico global. La reunión, cargada de simbolismo, llega en plena escalada de declaraciones y movimientos militares que han encendido las alarmas en Washington y Pekín.

El conflicto por Taiwán no es nuevo, pero el endurecimiento de posturas —especialmente con el auge de China como potencia y la ambigüedad estratégica de EE.UU.— marca un punto de inflexión. Para los hispanohablantes, el riesgo de un conflicto armado en el Estrecho de Taiwán tendría consecuencias económicas directas, desde el encarecimiento de semiconductores hasta la interrupción de cadenas de suministro clave. Además, la región es un actor esencial en el comercio con Latinoamérica, por lo que cualquier crisis afectaría a economías dependientes de exportaciones como la soja o los minerales. En un contexto donde la guerra en Ucrania ya ha demostrado el impacto global de los conflictos regionales, la prudencia —y el seguimiento atento— son más necesarios que nunca.