U.S. President Donald Trump confirmed he has spoken with Chinese President Xi Jinping since taking office on January 20 but did not disclose details of their conversation. In an interview with Fox News on Monday, Trump stated, "Yeah … I have talked to him and I have talked to his people, too," emphasizing their "very good personal relationship." However, he did not specify when the discussion took place or the topics covered.
Last week, Trump indicated he was in no rush to engage with Xi regarding the escalating U.S.-China trade war. A conversation between the two leaders is seen as pivotal to potentially easing trade tensions and delaying tariffs. The White House and China’s foreign ministry have yet to comment on Trump's remarks.
Before his inauguration, Trump and Xi had spoken about key issues, including trade, TikTok, and Taiwan. Recently, China imposed tariffs on U.S. imports and warned companies like Google (NASDAQ: GOOGL) of possible sanctions in response to Trump’s 10% tariff increase. The move added pressure to an already strained relationship between the world’s two largest economies.
U.S.-China relations remain tense over trade disputes, cybersecurity, Taiwan, Hong Kong, human rights, and the origins of COVID-19. As trade negotiations stall, markets remain on edge, watching for signs of diplomatic progress.