Donald Trump, Xi Jinping Hold Talks Over Trade, Taiwan, TikTok Ahead Of US President's Inauguration

US President-elect Trump and Chinese President Xi held a phone conversation discussing trade, Taiwan, and TikTok. Trump emphasised their "very good" relationship.

File Photo of US President-elect Donald Trump and his Chinese President Xi Jinping

Source : Getty Images

U.S. President-elect Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping held a phone conversation late on Friday, China’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement. The discussion comes just days before Trump’s inauguration on Monday, with U.S.-China relations expected to be a key focus of his second term. Trump confirmed the conversation on Truth Social, describing it as “a very good one for both China and the U.S.A.” He said they discussed trade, the fentanyl crisis, and the social media platform TikTok, among other topics.  

“President Xi and I will do everything possible to make the world more peaceful and safe!” Trump wrote.  

'US Side Needs To Approach It With Prudence': China's Xi Tells Trump Over Taiwan

During the call, Xi congratulated Trump on his re-election. According to the media readout, Xi emphasised the importance of respecting each other's core interests and addressing differences properly. “The Taiwan question concerns China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. The US side needs to approach it with prudence,” Xi said.

He acknowledged that disagreements between the two major nations were natural but stressed that confrontation and conflict should not be an option.

China remains deeply concerned about Trump’s campaign promise to impose a 60 per cent tariff on Chinese exports to the US. Xi highlighted that bilateral economic ties were mutually beneficial and urged for a constructive approach. “The bilateral economic ties are essentially mutually beneficial and win-win,” he said.

With Trump set to assume office on January 20, Xi expressed hope for a stable start to China-US relations under the new administration. He also deputed Vice-President Han Zheng to attend Trump’s swearing-in ceremony, marking the first time a senior Chinese official will be present at a US presidential inauguration.

Trump has previously threatened to impose a 60% tariff on all Chinese imports but has also spoken positively about his relationship with Xi. He has suggested that China could play a role in mediating global conflicts, including the war in Ukraine.  

While Xi will not attend Trump’s inauguration, China will be represented by Vice President Han Zheng.  

In a December interview on NBC’s “Meet the Press,” Trump said he had been in communication with Xi since winning the election. He reiterated his “very good relationship” with the Chinese leader, noting that while they had not discussed Taiwan, they had spoken about other issues.

US Supreme Court Upholds TikTok Ban

The talks came as the US Supreme Court on Friday unanimously upheld the federal law banning TikTok beginning Sunday unless it’s sold by its China-based parent company, holding that the risk to national security posed by its ties to China overcomes concerns about limiting speech by the app or its 170 million users in the United States.

A sale does not appear imminent and, although experts have said the app will not disappear from existing users’ phones once the law takes effect on Jan. 19, new users won’t be able to download it and updates won’t be available, news agency AP reported. That will eventually render the app unworkable, the Justice Department has said in court filings.

The decision came against the backdrop of unusual political agitation by US President-elect Donald Trump, who vowed that he could negotiate a solution, and the administration of President Joe Biden, which has signaled it won’t enforce the law beginning Sunday, his final full day in office.