After talks between U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping, the readouts released by Washington and Beijing differed notably. U.S. scholars told CNA that the divergence reflects different 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. The U.S. side appeared more focused on economic cooperation, Iran, and the Strait of Hormuz. 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 15 minutes, followed by a state banquet. Trump is expected to have tea and a working lunch with Xi before returning to the United States. Patricia Kim, a China expert at the Brookings Institution, said Beijing clearly knew how to impress Trump, arranging a grand reception that included a review of the People’s Liberation Army honor guard, cheering schoolchildren, and a visit to the Temple of Heaven. Such pageantry, she said, likely helped 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 confrontation or even conflict. Xi also said he and Trump agreed to define the relationship as one of “constructive strategic stability.” However, the White House readout of the meeting did not mention Taiwan. Kim said both sides were managing perceptions in different ways: Beijing wanted to show a firm posture on Taiwan, while Washington wanted to keep the public focus on economic cooperation. Thomas Shattuck, senior program manager at the University of Pennsylvania’s Perry World House, said the contrast showed what each side considered most important. The absence of Taiwan from the White House readout, he said, indicated that Taiwan is not something to be negotiated. Richard Bush, former chairman of the American Institute in Taiwan a