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President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping attend a welcome ceremony at the Great Hall of the People on May 14, 2026 in Beijing, China. President Trump is meeting with President Xi Jinping in Beijing to address the Iran conflict, trade imbalances, and the Taiwan situation while establishing new bilateral boards for economic and AI oversight. (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images)

Trump's lack of response Chinese comments on Taiwan sparks concerns

Author: Newstalk ZB,
Publish Date: Fri, 15 May 2026, 11:13am

Donald Trump is vowing to maintain a "friendship" with China, despite apparent tensions over Taiwan and Iran.

The US President has met with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping in Beijing.

Trump claims Xi is offering to help in some way with America's war in Iran without providing military assistance, while Xi says it's vital both countries are on the same page about Taiwan.

Former Washington Post Asia-Pacific Editor Anna Fifield told Ryan Bridge usually when China makes statements about taking over Taiwan, the US President pushes back – but Trump simply pretended he hadn’t heard anything and moved on.

She says it’s causing concern in Taiwan, as people think the US is becoming less willing to defend them or back them up.

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