China’s state-run news agency Xinhua reported on the 5th that U.S. President Donald Trump and China’s President Xi Jinping had a telephone conversation.
Xinhua reported around 8:53 p.m. that on the evening of the 5th, President Xi Jinping spoke on the telephone conversation with U.S. President Donald Trump at his request. Xinhua used expressions suggesting that this telephone conversation took place at the initiative of President Trump.
However, Xinhua did not mention further details regarding the conversation between the two leaders. The two leaders are believed to have exchanged views on trade issues, including the Geneva Agreement, during this conversation. Last month, the United States and China held high-level talks in Geneva, Switzerland, and agreed to suspend tariffs that they had imposed on each other by more than 100% for 90 days.
However, the U.S. claimed that China had not lifted restrictions on the export of strategic minerals and rare earth metals even after the Geneva Agreement. In contrast, China pushed back, asserting that the U.S. had taken discriminatory measures such as canceling visas for Chinese students. In response, the White House indicated earlier this month that there was a high possibility of a telephone conversation between President Trump and President Xi.
This is the first official telephone conversation between the two leaders since President Trump’s second inauguration. Additionally, the two leaders had a telephone conversation three days before President Trump’s inauguration on Jan. 17 of this year. While President Trump claimed to have spoken with President Xi after taking office, the Chinese side only confirmed the call that took place on Jan. 17.