President Donald Trump has announced his plan to visit Beijing in April after a phone call with Chinese President Xi Jinping, during which both leaders discussed various topics including trade, the situation in Taiwan, and the war in Ukraine.
Trump, who previously met Xi in South Korea about a month ago, expressed enthusiasm for the relationship between the two nations on his Truth Social account, stating, Our relationship with China is extremely strong! Meanwhile, China's state news agency emphasized the importance of maintaining a direction of equality and mutual benefit.
The leaders had met in Busan, South Korea, in October, where they forged a temporary truce on tariffs, with the US agreeing to reduce a 20% tariff aimed at curtailing fentanyl from China. Nonetheless, tariffs on Chinese imports still average nearly 50%.
China's official remarks following the call indicated that the recent trajectory of China-US relations has been positive, to the satisfaction of both sides and the wider international community. In addition to trade discussions, the call also addressed the important issue of Taiwan, with Xi asserting its return to China is critical for shaping global order post-conflict.
The conversation lasted approximately an hour, according to White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, highlighting mutual satisfaction with developments in the partnership.
