Trump Announces He Plans to Travel to China in Spring After Call with President Xi
Former President Donald Trump has stated that he plans to travel to Beijing in spring and extended an invitation to Chinese President Xi Jinping for a state visit in the coming year, after a discussion between the two leaders.
Trump and Xi—who convened nearly a month ago in the Republic of Korea—covered a variety of topics including commerce, Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the opioid crisis, and the island of Taiwan, per the former president and China's foreign ministry.
"Our relationship with China is very robust!" Trump wrote in a Truth Social post.
Beijing's press outlet published a comment that indicated both nations should "continue advancing, keep moving forward in the correct path on the principle of equality, respect and common gain".
Earlier Talks and Commerce Progress
The officials met in the South Korean city of Busan in the fall, subsequently they settled on a pause on import duties. The US decided to slash a import tax in half aimed at the movement of the drug fentanyl.
Tariffs remain on Chinese goods and stand at nearly 50 percent.
"Afterwards, the China-US relationship has generally maintained a stable and upward path, and this is appreciated by the two countries and the international community at large," the Beijing's announcement added.
- America then pulled back a potential imposition of double tariffs on Chinese goods, while Beijing postponed its intention to introduce its new set of limits on mineral exports.
Economic Emphasis
The administration's spokesperson Karoline Leavitt stated that the phone discussion with Xi—which lasted about an hour—was focused on economic issues.
"We are pleased with what we've seen from the Chinese, and they agree," she remarked.
Broader Topics
Besides addressing trade, Xi and Trump raised the topics of Russia's invasion of Ukraine and Taiwan.
Xi informed Trump that Taiwan's "integration into China" is essential for China's vision for the "world order following wars".
Beijing has been engaged in a diplomatic battle with the Japanese government, a American partner, over the long-term "uncertain policy" on the sovereignty of self-governed Taiwan.
Recently, Tokyo's head Sanae Takaichi said that an eventual Chinese attack on Taiwan could lead to a response from Japan's forces.
Trump, however, did not discuss the island in his social media update about the conversation.
US Ambassador to Japan, George Glass, previously said that the US supports the Japanese in the wake of China's "coercion".