U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping held a high-level phone call on Monday, with Beijing saying the discussion heavily focused on the sensitive issue of Taiwan, while both leaders also emphasized the need to sustain momentum in ongoing trade negotiations.
According to China’s foreign ministry, Xi stressed that Taiwan remains an “integral part of the post-war international order,” citing the U.S.–China partnership during World War II against “fascism and militarism.” His remarks come as China faces a weeks-long diplomatic clash with Japan triggered by new Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s suggestion that Tokyo could intervene militarily if Taiwan were attacked.
While Washington does not formally recognize Taiwan as an independent state, the U.S. remains its key security partner and arms supplier.
Trump, in a social media post after the call, described U.S.–China relations as “extremely strong,” though he did not reference Taiwan directly. However, China’s foreign ministry said Trump acknowledged the island’s significance to Beijing and confirmed two major diplomatic visits: Trump will travel to China in April, and Xi will visit Washington in 2026.
Trade Talks Regain Momentum
The call follows the leaders’ October meeting in South Korea — their first face-to-face engagement since 2019 — where they reached a preliminary agreement aimed at easing months of market turbulence caused by trade disputes ranging from rare earths to soybeans.
China agreed to pause certain export restrictions on critical minerals for one year, while the U.S. announced tariff reductions on Chinese imports. Beijing also committed to purchasing at least 12 million metric tons of American soybeans by the end of this year and 25 million metric tons in 2026.
Xi said the South Korea meeting “recalibrated the course of the giant ship of China-U.S. relations,” noting that ties have shown a “steady and positive trajectory” since.
Trump echoed that optimism, saying both sides had seen “significant progress” since their meeting.
U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent recently stated that Washington hopes to finalize a long-term rare-earths supply deal with China by Thanksgiving.
Ukraine War Also on the Agenda
With Trump pushing aggressively for a ceasefire in the nearly four-year Russia-Ukraine war, the conflict also featured in Monday’s conversation. Beijing reiterated its stance as a neutral actor and expressed support for efforts toward a “fair, lasting, and binding peace agreement.”
Xi urged all sides to narrow differences and work toward resolving the crisis “at its root,” according to China’s foreign ministry.