File photo: US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping (Photo source: PTI)
U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping held a wide-ranging phone conversation on Wednesday, discussing issues such as trade, security, Taiwan, Iran and the war in Ukraine, as Washington and Beijing seek to stabilize relations between the world’s two largest economies.In an article published in Truth Social, Trump called the call “very good,” “long” and “thorough,” saying the two leaders discussed “many important topics,” including trade, military issues, his planned visit to China in April, Taiwan, Russia’s war with Ukraine, the situation with Iran and potential energy and agriculture deals between the two countries.
“The relationship with China and my personal relationship with President Xi are very good, and we both realize how important it is to maintain that relationship,” Trump said, adding that he expected “many positive results” over the next three years of his presidency.
Iran pressure, trade warnings top focus of talks
Trump said the two leaders discussed Iran as the U.S. government urges Beijing and other countries to isolate Tehran. Trump has previously warned that Washington would impose 25% tariffs on imports from countries that continue to do business with Iran as part of efforts to curb Iran’s nuclear program. The Associated Press reported, citing data from the World Trade Organization, that despite years of sanctions, Iran’s international trade volume was still close to $125 billion in 2024, of which trade with China amounted to $32 billion.
Energy, agriculture and business deals on agenda
Economic and trade cooperation is also the focus of this call. Trump said China was considering buying more U.S. oil and gas and more U.S. agricultural products. He claimed that Beijing is considering increasing soybean imports, including increasing soybean imports this season to 20 million tons, and promising to increase soybean imports next season to 25 million tons. The US president also said the two leaders discussed aircraft engine deliveries and other business issues.
Taiwan remains core issue for Beijing
Taiwan is a key topic, according to Chinese-language reports cited by the South China Morning Post. Xi Jinping told Trump that the Taiwan issue was the “most important” issue in China-U.S. relations, stressed that Taiwan was Chinese territory and urged Washington to handle arms sales to Taiwan with “extreme caution.”Beijing considers Taiwan part of China and has not ruled out using force to achieve reunification.According to the South China Morning Post, Trump expressed that he values China’s concerns on the Taiwan issue and is willing to maintain communication with Beijing to maintain the stability of bilateral relations. He also described the U.S.-China relationship as the most important bilateral relationship in the world and said he respected Xi Jinping and hoped that the relationship between the two countries would remain “positive and stable” during his term.
Phone call between Xi Jinping and Putin after talks amid global tensions
The call, which came hours after Xi held a video call with Russian President Vladimir Putin, underscored Beijing’s active engagement in multiple areas of diplomacy. Putin and Xi Jinping have discussed expanding Russian-Chinese cooperation to include energy, nuclear power, space and high-tech projects, even as China continues to engage with Western leaders as the war in Ukraine continues.Trump said his conversations with Xi underscored the importance of continued dialogue. “We both realize how important it is to keep it that way,” he said of the overall relationship, as Washington and Beijing grapple with strategic competition amid economic interdependence.
