Trump and Xi Jinping's meeting erupts into chaos as hot mic catches fight break out
Topics: Donald Trump, China, US News
Kiesha Dosanjh
Featured Image Credit: Alex Wong/Getty Images
Topics: Donald Trump, China, US News
Just as Donald Trump and Xi Jinping were sitting down for vital talks, a scuffle broke out in the crowd, which included an f-bomb being dropped.
Trump recently landed in Beijing for a State Visit, marking his first in almost a decade.
He and President Xi started off with pleasantries towards one another, with Trump telling the Chinese president that he was a 'great leader'.
The two are holding crucial discussions, with topics including Taiwan and the Middle East.
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But as the crunch talks were about to get underway, two members of a camera crew in a conference room risked upstaging the whole thing.
The Mirror reports that a camera was knocked on the floor in the conference room.
A scuffle is then said to have broken out, with someone heard shouting: "Get the f**k out of here."
Thankfully, nothing like that has happened between Trump and Xi, though the US president was 'issued a warning' that the Taiwan question 'was the most important issue in China-US relations.'
As per The Guardian, he said: "If it is handled properly, the bilateral relationship will enjoy overall stability. Otherwise, the two countries will have clashes and even conflicts, putting the entire relationship in great jeopardy."
It seemed like Trump wanted to avoid the conflict at all costs though, ignoring a reporter who asked him further questions.
After finishing up a tour of the Temple of Heaven, the 79-year-old POTUS was asked by reporters how previous closed talks were - which he responded 'great,' signalling how China was a 'great country'.
However, in a rarity, Trump remained tight-lipped when he was asked if the two spoke about the topic of Taiwan.
Xi wants the island of Taiwan to be unified with the rest of China, however, it currently serves as its own independent country.
Trump's State Visit to China will end on Friday, May 15.
The US follows something called the 'One China' policy, which means it diplomatically acknowledges only one Chinese government, but doesn't wholly subscribe to China's view that Taiwan belongs to them.
China considers the island a breakaway territory which will eventually be reunified with the mainland, and has set a target for this to happen by 2049.
The US does not recognise Taiwan as a fully fledged country, having broken off diplomatic relations with it in 1979 to shift recognition to Beijing. In fact, only 12 countries and the Vatican recognise Taiwan's sovereignty.
The US does not have an embassy in Taiwan, but it does have an office dubbed the American Institute in Taiwan.
At the same time, the US is one of Taiwan's biggest supporters. It is currently in the process of a $14 billion arms package with the island - which isn't going down well with China.
Taiwan was first a part of China in the 17th century, although it later fell under Japanese control.
At the time of the Chinese communist revolution in 1949, the previously ruling nationalist party KMT fled to Taiwan, dubbing it the Republic of China, a name Taiwan has retained.
Mainland China is keen to let the world know there is only one Chinese government.
Taiwan is also key to the global economy, particularly in electronics. One company - the Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company or TSMC - is responsible for half of the worldwide market.
Taiwan is also significant geographically. It's part of something called the 'first island chain' - a chain of US-friendly islands off China's east coast.
China taking control of Taiwan would extend its military sphere of influence and be crucial for shipping routes.