Donald Trump Reveals He Plans to Travel to China in April Subsequent to Phone Conversation with President Xi
Leader Donald Trump has stated that he plans to visit China's capital in April and asked Chinese President Xi Jinping for a diplomatic trip later next year, following a discussion between the two heads of state.
Trump and Xi—who convened about a month back in South Korea—covered a series of matters including trade, the Ukraine conflict, synthetic drugs, and the island of Taiwan, according to the U.S. leader and Chinese officials.
"Our relationship with China is highly solid!" Trump stated in a online message.
Beijing's press outlet issued a statement that noted both states should "keep up the momentum, proceed in the positive way on the basis of parity, mutual respect and mutual benefit".
Prior Engagement and Commerce Progress
The officials met in the South Korean city of Busan in October, following which they agreed to a truce on tariffs. The US opted to slash a 20% tariff by 50% intended to decrease the movement of the drug fentanyl.
Trade taxes stay on products from China and stand at nearly 50 percent.
"Afterwards, the bilateral relations has generally maintained a stable and upward path, and this is appreciated by the both nations and the broader international community," the Chinese statement said.
- The US then withdrew a warning of full extra duties on products, while China put off its scheme to introduce its new set of rare earth export controls.
Commerce Discussions
The administration's spokesperson Karoline Leavitt commented that the Monday call with Xi—which lasted about an hour—was mainly about economic issues.
"The U.S. is happy with what we've seen from the Beijing, and they agree," she said.
Additional Issues
Along with discussing commerce, Xi and Trump broached the subjects of Russia's invasion of Ukraine and Taiwan.
Xi told Trump that the island's "reunification with China" is essential for Beijing's perspective for the "post-war international order".
China has been part of a political dispute with Japan, a U.S. friend, over the long-term "strategic ambiguity" on the control of the independently administered island.
In the past few weeks, Japan's leader Sanae Takaichi stated that any assault from Beijing on Taiwan could force a Japanese military response.
Trump, however, did not refer to Taiwan in his social media update about the call.
America's envoy to Tokyo, George Glass, had earlier stated that the US supports the Japanese in the aftermath of China's "pressure".
