Chinese President Xi Jinping used a high-profile meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday to urge the United States to formally oppose Taiwan's independence, marking one of his most direct appeals for a shift in Washington’s policy toward Taipei. The summit took place at the White House and underscored the growing strategic tensions surrounding Taiwan.

During their talks, Xi emphasized the importance of the U.S. maintaining a position against Taiwan independence, framing it as a key element for advancing bilateral cooperation. “China hopes the U.S. side will adhere to the correct position of opposing ‘Taiwan independence,’ and handle the Taiwan question with prudence to lay a solid foundation for bilateral strategic cooperation and the development of China-U.S. ties,” Xi said, according to remarks published by the Chinese Foreign Ministry. He reiterated that safeguarding China’s national unity and territorial integrity remains non-negotiable.

China considers Taiwan, a democratic island with its own government, to be part of its territory and has repeatedly asserted its intention to reunify Taiwan with the mainland, by force if necessary. Beijing regards Taiwan as the “core of its core issues” and strongly opposes any foreign interference in what it views as an internal matter. Recent weeks have seen increased Chinese military activity near Taiwan, including naval and aerial incursions seen as efforts to intimidate Taipei.

The Trump administration’s response to Xi’s request was not immediately disclosed. The White House had not provided an official readout of the summit as of early Friday. The United States currently maintains a “robust unofficial relationship” with Taiwan and is legally obligated to assist Taiwan in maintaining its self-defense. Historically, Washington has stated it “does not support” Taiwan’s formal independence, but it has stopped short of explicitly opposing it.

Some analysts suggest the significance of Xi’s call lies in signaling Beijing’s strategic calculations around U.S.-China relations. William Yang, a senior analyst with the International Crisis Group, said Xi’s focus on Taiwan appears to tie the issue closely to the broader stability of ties between Beijing and Washington. Yang noted that Beijing seems to be positioning Taiwan as a foundational matter for the bilateral relationship, potentially complicating how the U.S. manages its engagement with Taipei moving forward.

Any changes to American policy on Taiwan could also heighten tensions over U.S. arms sales to the island. Earlier this year, during a visit to Beijing, Trump questioned the rationale for U.S. military involvement in potential conflicts thousands of miles away and described a pending $14 billion arms sale to Taiwan as leverage in negotiations with China, calling it “a very good negotiating chip.” How these dynamics will evolve remains a key area of focus amid continuing uncertainties in U.S.-China relations.