President Donald Trump has announced plans for reciprocal visits with Chinese President Xi Jinping, following a phone call between the two leaders. Trump stated he will visit China in April, while President Xi is expected to visit Washington later this year.
According to Trump, the phone call was “very productive,” with discussions focusing on a range of issues, including Ukraine and Russia. The announcement signals a potential thaw in relations between the two global powers.
Chinese state news agency Xinhua reported that the two presidents discussed bilateral cooperation and the issue of Taiwan during their call. Xi Jinping reportedly emphasized the need for both countries to “maintain the momentum of relations” following their meeting last month in South Korea, where they sought to de-escalate the ongoing trade war.
Xinhua further quoted Xi as saying that “the return of Taiwan to China is an important part of the post-war international order.” Beijing maintains that the island is part of its territory and has threatened to use force to bring it under its control.
While Washington does not officially support Taiwan’s claim to independence, the United States remains the island’s largest supplier of arms and military equipment. Earlier this month, Taiwan’s Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung expressed concern about a “potential sacrifice of Taiwan’s interests” in future talks between Trump and Xi. Lin cautioned against excessive worry, stating that “harming Taiwan would also harm the interests of the United States.”
Trump and Xi previously met in October, their first meeting since 2019, in talks that were closely watched due to the trade war that disrupted supply chains for months. Following that meeting, Trump announced an agreement with China to reduce reciprocal tariffs at ports, in exchange for Beijing resuming soybean purchases from the United States and ensuring continued exports of rare earth minerals.
According to Xinhua, Xi told Trump during Monday’s phone call that the “successful” meeting in South Korea “helped to set the course and gave direction.”
