🔗 Share this article

Leader Donald Trump has stated that he plans to go to Beijing in the month of April and asked Chinese President Xi Jinping for a state visit in the coming year, subsequent to a phone call between the two leaders.

Trump and Xi—who met about a month back in South Korea—covered a series of matters including trade, Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the opioid crisis, and Taiwan, according to the former president and Chinese officials.

"The U.S.-China ties is very robust!" Trump stated in a social media update.

Official Chinese media issued a comment that indicated both countries should "keep up the momentum, progress in the right direction on the foundation of equality, mutual respect and shared interests".

Earlier Talks and Economic Agreements

The heads of state held discussions in Busan, South Korea in last October, following which they settled on a pause on trade taxes. The United States chose to slash a import tax by 50% aimed at the supply of the drug fentanyl.

Duties continue on imports and are around close to half.

"Afterwards, the China-US relationship has mostly kept a stable and upward path, and this is welcomed by the each side and the broader international community," the official comment noted.

• The United States then withdrew a warning of 100% additional tariffs on products, while the Chinese government put off its intention to introduce its new set of rare earth export controls.

Economic Emphasis

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt commented that the Monday call with Xi—which took around 60 minutes—was mainly about commerce.

"We are satisfied with what we've witnessed from the China, and they share that sentiment," she noted.

Broader Topics

Along with talking about commerce, Xi and Trump raised the issues of Russia's invasion of Ukraine and the island.

Xi informed Trump that Taiwan's "integration into China" is essential for Beijing's perspective for the "post-war international order".

The Chinese government has been part of a political dispute with the Japanese government, a American partner, over the long-term "vague stance" on the sovereignty of self-governed Taiwan.

Earlier this month, Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said that an eventual Chinese attack on Taiwan could compel a reaction by Tokyo's army.

Trump, but, did not refer to the Taiwan issue in his online message about the call.

The U.S. representative in Japan, George Glass, noted before that the U.S. government backs Tokyo in the context of China's "coercion".