After talks between Donald Trump and Xi Jinping, the United States and China issued noticeably different readouts. U.S. scholars said the contrast reflects each side’s priorities: Taiwan is Beijing’s top concern, while the White House’s omission of Taiwan suggests Washington does not view it as a negotiable issue and is more focused on economic cooperation and the Iran situation. Trump is on a state visit to China. Xi hosted a high-level welcome ceremony at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing before the two leaders held talks lasting about two hours and fifteen minutes, followed by a state banquet. Trump is expected to have tea and a working lunch with Xi the next day before returning to the United States. Patricia Kim, a U.S.-China relations expert at the Brookings Institution, said Beijing clearly knows how to impress Trump, citing the honor guard review, cheering schoolchildren and a visit to the Temple of Heaven. She said such pageantry is effective with Trump and helps create a positive atmosphere. According to Xinhua, Xi said during the meeting that Taiwan is the most important issue in U.S.-China relations and that mishandling it could lead to collision or even conflict. Xi also said he and Trump agreed to define the relationship as one of “constructive strategic stability.” The White House readout, however, did not mention Taiwan. Kim said both sides are managing perceptions in different ways: Beijing wants to show a tough stance on Taiwan, while Washington wants to keep the focus on economic cooperation. Thomas Shattuck, a senior program manager at the University of Pennsylvania’s Perry World House, said Taiwan is clearly China’s top priority, and the U.S. omission of Taiwan from its readout shows that it is not something Washington considers negotiable. Richard Bush, former chairman of the American Institute in Taiwan and a nonresident senior fellow at Brookings, said Beijing’s call to properly handle the Taiwan issue is aimed at both the U.S. governme