Trump Confirms ‘Very Good’ Phone Call With Chinese Leader Xi Jinping

President-elect Donald Trump confirmed on Friday that he had a phone call with Chinese leader Xi Jinping, describing it as “very good” and optimistic about addressing pressing issues between the two nations. The conversation comes just days before Trump is set to take office for his second term as president, following his 2024 election victory, which was marked by a strong focus on countering the Chinese Communist Party’s influence.

According to Trump’s statement on Truth Social, the discussion covered key topics such as trade, the fentanyl crisis, and the contentious issue of TikTok, among other matters. Trump expressed confidence in the potential for collaboration, writing, “It is my expectation that we will solve many problems together, and starting immediately.”

While Chinese state media confirmed the call, it provided little detail about the content of the discussion. Trump’s outreach to Xi follows years of tense relations between the two countries during both his and President Joe Biden’s administrations. During his campaign, Trump repeatedly criticized Biden’s approach to China, accusing him of being lenient and promising to adopt stricter policies, including limits on Chinese investments in U.S. farmland and tariffs on Chinese goods.

Despite his strong rhetoric against Beijing, Trump maintained a cordial relationship with Xi during his first term, hosting him at Mar-a-Lago in 2017 and engaging in direct diplomacy. However, Trump’s policies consistently targeted China’s influence, including tariffs, restrictions on Chinese tech, and vocal support for victims of communist oppression.

Notably, unconfirmed reports suggested Trump extended a personal invitation to Xi for his inauguration on Monday. While Xi will not attend, China’s vice president, Han Zheng, will represent the country—the highest-ranking Chinese official to attend a U.S. presidential inauguration to date.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry issued a statement affirming a willingness to cooperate with the incoming administration. It emphasized principles of “mutual respect” and “peaceful coexistence” while expressing hope for a “stable, healthy, and sustainable” relationship.

The phone call follows significant developments in U.S.-China relations, including the Supreme Court’s recent unanimous decision to uphold a law banning TikTok. The app, owned by China-based ByteDance, has been criticized as a national security threat due to its data collection practices and role in spreading propaganda favorable to the Chinese Communist Party. The ban is expected to go into effect on Sunday, coinciding with the eve of Trump’s inauguration.

The fentanyl crisis and trade imbalances also remain critical issues, with Trump previously linking the synthetic opioid epidemic in the U.S. to Chinese suppliers. The president-elect’s discussion of these topics with Xi signals his intent to address long-standing challenges with a renewed focus on national security and economic competitiveness.

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