Xi Urges US-Iran Dialogue to End War, Calls for Caution on Taiwan

Chinese President Xi Jinping told U.S. President Donald Trump during talks at the White House that the United States and Iran should return to dialogue in order to end their ongoing conflict, according to a report from Anadolu Agency.

Xi's call for renewed US-Iran dialogue came as part of a broader set of remarks during the meeting, in which the Chinese leader also urged Washington to oppose Taiwan's independence and to handle the Taiwan issue "prudently," reflecting Beijing's longstanding sensitivity over the self-governed island's political status.

A wide-ranging meeting

The remarks suggest the discussions between the two leaders touched on a range of major geopolitical issues beyond bilateral US-China relations, including regional conflicts and long-standing points of friction such as Taiwan. Xi's appeal for US-Iran dialogue positions China as advocating a diplomatic resolution to the conflict, consistent with Beijing's broader approach of encouraging negotiated settlements to conflicts involving countries with which it maintains economic and political ties.

Taiwan remains one of the most sensitive issues in the US-China relationship, with Beijing regarding the island as part of its territory and routinely urging other governments to avoid actions that could be seen as supporting its formal independence.

The available reporting did not specify further details on Trump's response to Xi's comments on either Iran or Taiwan, or whether the two leaders reached any agreements during the meeting.