 "Xi Jinping holds phone talks with Donald Trump: TikTok, trade, and fentanyl discussed amid simmering US-China tensions")
Chinese President Xi Jinping had a telephone conversation with US President-elect Donald Trump on Friday evening, as reported by Chinese state-owned broadcaster, CCTV.
The call, which took place on Friday (January 17), can be seen as a sign of Beijing’s intent to establish communication channels with the incoming US administration.
Trump, posting about the conversation on his social media platform Truth Social, said “The call was a very good one[…]We discussed balancing Trade, Fentanyl, TikTok, and many other subjects.”
Previously, during a meeting in Lima, Peru, on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit, Xi had told outgoing President Joe Biden of China’s willingness to collaborate with Trump’s administration.
The news of the phone conversation follows China’s announcement that Xi would not be attending Trump’s inauguration as the President of the US on January 20. China is instead sending Vice-president, Han Zheng as Xi’s special representative.
US-China tensions persist
Earlier, in a conversation with Biden on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit, Xi had said “China is ready to work with the new US administration to maintain communication, expand cooperation and manage differences, so as to strive for a smooth transition of the China-US relationship.”
However, this recent call between Xi and Trump comes amid escalating tensions between the US and China.
Trump has intensified his rhetoric against Beijing, vowing to impose heavy tariffs on Chinese goods. He has labelled China a currency manipulator, as well.
Trump has also repeatedly criticised China’s trade practices, accusing the country of “stealing” American jobs and intellectual property. He has signalled a tougher stance on issues like Taiwan, a “red line” that Xi had told Biden the US must not cross when the two world leaders met in Peru in November 2024.
Impact Shorts
More ShortsFor its part, China has announced a ban on exporting essential high-tech materials, including gallium, germanium, and antimony, to the United States.
That move is seen as retaliation against recent US export controls on semiconductor technology.
With inputs from agencies
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