Donald Trump Announces He Will Visit China in the Month of April Subsequent to Phone Conversation with Xi Jinping
Former President Donald Trump has confirmed that he will go to Beijing in the month of April and asked Chinese President Xi Jinping for a official visit in the coming year, after a telephone conversation between the two heads of state.
Trump and Xi—who convened nearly a month ago in the Republic of Korea—covered a range of issues including trade, Russia's invasion of Ukraine, synthetic drugs, and the island of Taiwan, according to the U.S. leader and China's foreign ministry.
"Bilateral relations is highly solid!" Trump wrote in a Truth Social post.
Official Chinese media issued a comment that noted both states should "maintain progress, keep moving forward in the correct path on the foundation of equality, respect and common gain".
Previous Meeting and Economic Agreements
The officials held discussions in the South Korean city of Busan in last October, following which they settled on a pause on trade taxes. The US chose to reduce a import tax by 50% targeting the flow of opioids.
Tariffs stay on products from China and average nearly 50 percent.
"From that point, the bilateral relations has mostly kept a steady and positive trajectory, and this is greeted positively by the each side and the broader international community," the Beijing's announcement added.
- America then withdrew a threat of 100% additional tariffs on products, while the Chinese government put off its scheme to implement its new set of rare earth export controls.
Economic Emphasis
The administration's spokesperson Karoline Leavitt commented that the recent conversation with Xi—which took around 60 minutes—was mainly about economic issues.
"We are satisfied with what we've seen from the Beijing, and they agree," she noted.
Wider Discussions
Along with talking about trade, Xi and Trump broached the issues of the conflict in Ukraine and the Taiwan situation.
Xi informed Trump that the island's "reunification with China" is vital for the Chinese outlook for the "post-war international order".
The Chinese government has been part of a foreign policy clash with Japan, a American partner, over the longstanding "uncertain policy" on the sovereignty of self-governed Taiwan.
Earlier this month, Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi stated that any Chinese attack on the island could compel a Japanese military response.
Trump, though, did not mention Taiwan in his Truth Social post about the discussion.
America's envoy to Tokyo, George Glass, had earlier stated that the United States backs Japan in the context of Beijing's "coercion".