Xi tells Trump US should tread carefully on arms to Taiwan amid broader talks

China’s president used a recent telephone conversation with the former US president to press Washington to limit or carefully calibrate military support to Taiwan, describing the issue as central to Beijing’s core interests. The call also touched on practical, near‑term economic matters — notably a reported Chinese consideration to raise US soybean purchases from about 12 million tonnes to 20 million tonnes — and on broader regional security questions including Russia‑Ukraine and Iran. Beijing’s official notice was brief and supplied no verbatim transcript or detailed readout, indicating the exchange was likely intended as a top‑level signal to convey red lines and open space for follow‑up rather than to resolve disputes immediately. Washington characterized the discussion as thorough and constructive, while pre‑existing irritants — such as a roughly $11 billion US arms package for Taiwan announced in December — remained reference points in the dialogue. The phone contact sits within a larger pattern of managed, high‑level engagement: Beijing has recently hosted video talks with other major leaders and received delegations from Europe and the UK seeking transactional openings. That diplomatic traffic, plus the terse Xinhua briefing, suggests the conversation’s primary value was to reduce risk of miscalculation and set terms for lower‑level or sectoral negotiations. Analysts note that Beijing’s domestic political tightening and personnel reshuffles within the military frame Xi’s external posture: leadership consolidation enables faster, politically synchronized pressure on Taiwan while also carrying risks to professional military proficiency. Practically, this combination means Beijing can couple deterrent messaging with calibrated economic incentives — such as increased commodity purchases — to extract leverage without immediately escalating to overt confrontation. For policymakers and markets, the crucial signals will be concrete follow‑ups: formal readouts, scheduled visits, shifts in export‑control posture or any announced changes to arms sales to Taiwan. Absent clear, verifiable actions, the call is best read as a stabilizing but conditional measure that preserves channels for negotiation while restating Beijing’s red lines.