• Source:JND

US President Donald Trump said he held an “excellent” and wide-ranging phone call with Chinese President Xi Jinping, discussing trade, Taiwan, Iran and the war in Ukraine, while raising the prospect of increased Chinese purchases of US oil, gas and agricultural products. Posting on his Truth Social platform, Trump described the conversation as “long and thorough”, noting it came ahead of a planned state visit to Beijing in April. The two leaders last spoke in November, shortly after reaching a trade truce at a summit in Busan, South Korea.

“The relationship with China, and my personal relationship with President Xi, is an extremely good one,” Trump wrote, adding that he expected “many positive results” over the next three years of his presidency.

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Trade, Oil And Soybeans On Agenda

Trump said the talks covered trade and economic cooperation, including the possibility of China purchasing additional US oil, natural gas and agricultural produce. He added that Beijing had agreed to increase imports of American soybeans, potentially lifting purchases to around 20 million tonnes for the current season. The Busan truce had ended months of tit-for-tat tariffs and other measures, including Chinese export controls on rare earths.

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Taiwan, Iran And Ukraine Discussed

According to Trump, the leaders also discussed Taiwan, Iran and the Russia-Ukraine war. China later reiterated that it would not abandon its long-term goal of reunification with Taiwan, calling the issue a core national interest.

Trump has continued to warn Iran over its nuclear programme and has threatened tariffs on countries doing business with Tehran. 

China’s state-run Xinhua news agency confirmed the call, quoting Xi as saying the two sides should maintain communication and build trust so that 2026 could be a year of “mutual respect, peaceful coexistence and win-win cooperation”.

Xi-Putin Call And Abu Dhabi Ukraine Talks

Chinese media also reported that Xi recently held talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin, describing China-Russia ties as a stabilising force amid global turbulence. The call coincided with fresh negotiations in Abu Dhabi involving Russia, Ukraine and the US aimed at ending the nearly four-year-old conflict. 

Despite rising regional tensions, the Trump-Xi call signalled a renewed effort by Washington and Beijing to manage rivalry through dialogue, trade and strategic engagement rather than confrontation.

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