US President Donald Trump said he has agreed to visit Beijing in April and has invited Chinese President Xi Jinping for a state visit next year. This came after a phone call between the two leaders, their first conversation since they paused the tariff dispute last month. They talked about trade, Taiwan, and Russia’s war in Ukraine.
“Our relationship with China is extremely strong!” Trump wrote on social media. He added that there has been “significant progress on both sides in keeping our agreements current and accurate,” and said they can now focus on the “big picture.”
Trump-Xi phone call
Trump said his phone call with Xi was “very good” and that they discussed China buying more soybeans and other farm goods. They also spoke about reducing the flow of illegal fentanyl. Trump confirmed he will visit Beijing in April and has asked Xi to visit the US next year.
Xi told Trump that bringing Taiwan back under China is a central part of the world order created after World War II, according to a statement from China’s Foreign Ministry. He also said the two countries should build on the positive atmosphere from their meeting in South Korea last month and deepen cooperation.
The two leaders also discussed Russia-Ukraine war, and Xi said he hoped both sides could work toward a binding peace deal, the ministry added.
Dispute between Japan, China adding pressure to Trump-Xi relationship
Meanwhile, a continuing dispute between Japan and China over Taiwan is adding new pressure to the Trump-Xi relationship. It also risks complicating ties just after the US and China reached a trade truce in October. Japan remains a major US ally in the region.
Under that earlier deal, the US reduced tariffs linked to fentanyl on Chinese goods, and China agreed to ease some limits on rare-earth exports. Any fresh tensions between Washington and Beijing could create more uncertainty for markets and global businesses.
