China has named four issues it says the US must not challenge, with Taiwan at the top of the list, as Xi Jinping prepares for his first state visit to the US in 11 years. The warning comes as Trump prepares to host the Chinese president for talks in Washington, with Taiwan, human rights, trade and technology among the key issues.
The warning came from China's ambassador to the US, Xie Feng, in a signed article published on Wednesday. Alongside Taiwan, he listed democracy and human rights, development paths and systems, and development rights.
'China's sovereignty, security and development interests cannot be violated,' Xie wrote, adding that the four red lines 'cannot be challenged'. He also called on Washington to stop what he described as 'fabricating pretexts' such as national security, economic imbalances and forced labour to constrain China.
Taiwan Heads Beijing's List
Taiwan, a self-governing island that China claims as part of its territory, is expected to be among the most sensitive items when the two leaders sit down. After the pair last met in Beijing in May, Trump withheld approval for a $14bn package of US arms sales to Taiwan, describing it as a 'very good negotiating chip'.
That delay drew fresh criticism from Trump's own party on Wednesday.
Four Republican senators, including Mitch McConnell, John Cornyn, Lisa Murkowski and Thom Tillis, wrote to Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth questioning why $300m in foreign military financing and $1bn in Taiwan security funding provided by Congress had not been obligated.
The senators said they were concerned by Trump's description of Taiwan as 'a very good negotiating chip' in engagements with Xi Jinping and the Chinese Communist Party.
William Yang, a senior analyst at the International Crisis Group, said Beijing sees an opening, arguing that China may view Trump as a rare US president who could offer an opportunity to influence American policy on Taiwan, specifically on defence support.
Human Rights Line Hangs Over Jimmy Lai Case
Xie's second red line, democracy and human rights, comes as Trump faces pressure over individual detainees. Yufang Rong, whose husband, US seismologist Youlin Chen, has been detained in China since late 2024, said this week the White House had assured her Trump would ask Xi to free him.
One of the most high-profile cases is that of Jimmy Lai, a British pro-democracy activist jailed in Hong Kong under national security laws. Trump pledged during his 2024 campaign to secure Lai's release, but in May described the case as a difficult one after raising it with Xi.
The approach contrasts with Xi's last state visit to the US in 2015. At the time, Hillary Clinton branded Xi 'shameless' for hosting a UN summit on women while 'persecuting feminists' at home, and Barack Obama skipped Xi's session.
👏 President Xi Jinping has set off for the United States.
— Xi Min (@xmn110310726765) September 23, 2026
Accompanying him on the visit are Peng Liyuan, wife of President Xi Jinping; Cai Qi, Member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and Director of the General… pic.twitter.com/pRx0lSv71y
AI and Trade Also in Focus
Xie also addressed artificial intelligence. He said the two powers should compete on innovation while ensuring the technology remains safe and controllable, and said they should not build a 'silicon curtain'.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has proposed a channel for the two countries to discuss major AI safety risks. Amanda Hsiao, China director at the Eurasia Group, questioned whether such a mechanism would work, saying that the US and China have a long history of crisis hotlines that have not always been effective.
Trade also remains unresolved. A temporary truce in the tariff war expires in November, and with Trump and Xi expected to meet twice more this year, a deal may not be announced this week.
By publishing the red lines ahead of the visit, Beijing has signalled which issues it considers fundamental before talks begin. Trump faces pressure from Republican senators over Taiwan, calls from families to release detained Americans and a looming trade deadline.
What comes out of the summit could test whether the 'constructive strategic stability' framework agreed by the two leaders in May can withstand disputes over Taiwan's defence, human rights and technology.
For British readers, the treatment of Jimmy Lai remains one of the most high-profile human rights issues surrounding the US-China relationship.
