Trump says he will visit China in April after call with Xi

President Donald Trump has said he agreed to visit Beijing in April and invited Chinese President Xi Jinping for a state visit later next year, following a phone call between the two leaders.

Trump and Xi – who met nearly a month ago in South Korea – discussed a range of issues including trade, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, fentanyl and Taiwan, according to the president and China’s foreign ministry.

“Our relationship with China is extremely strong!” Trump wrote in a Truth Social post.

China’s state new agency released a statement that said both countries should “keep up the momentum, keep moving forward in the right direction on the basis of equality, respect and mutual benefit”.

The leaders met in Busan, South Korea in October, after which they agreed to a truce on tariffs. The US decided to cut a 20% tariff in half aimed at decreasing the flow of fentanyl.

Tariffs remain on Chinese goods and average just below 50%.

“Since then, the China-US relationship has generally maintained a steady and positive trajectory, and this is welcomed by the two countries and the broader international community,” the Chinese statement said.

The US then pulled back a threat of 100% additional tariffs on Chinese goods, while China delayed its plan to introduce its latest round of rare earth export controls.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said the Monday call with Xi – which lasted about an hour – was focused on trade.

“We are pleased with what we’ve seen from from the Chinese, and they feel the same way,” she said.

In addition to discussing trade, Xi and Trump broached the topics of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and Taiwan.

Xi told Trump that Taiwan’s “return to China” is essential for China’s vision for the “post-war international order”.

China has been marred in a diplomatic battle with Japan, a US ally, over the longstanding “strategic ambiguity” on the sovereignty of self-governed Taiwan.

Earlier this month, Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said any Chinese attack on Taiwan could force a Japanese military response.

Trump, however, did not mention Taiwan in his Truth Social post about the call.

US Ambassador to Japan, George Glass, previously said the US backs Tokyo in the wake of China’s “coercion”.

(BBC)