Chinese President Xi Jinping and US President Donald Trump spoke by phone on Monday, focusing on strengthening bilateral ties and addressing sensitive issues such as Taiwan, according to Chinese state media.
During the call, Xi emphasized the need for both nations to “maintain momentum” in their relationship. This follows their meeting in South Korea last month, where the two leaders worked to ease tensions surrounding a prolonged trade war.
Addressing the Taiwan issue, Xi reiterated that the island’s “return to China” is a vital part of the global order, state broadcaster CCTV reported. Beijing continues to view Taiwan as part of its territory.
Tensions in the region have intensified after Japan’s Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi suggested Tokyo could intervene militarily if Taiwan were attacked. Although the United States does not formally recognize Taiwan as an independent state, Washington remains Taipei’s key ally and primary arms supplier.
Taiwanese Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung recently expressed concern that future talks between Trump and Xi could come at Taiwan’s expense. However, he added that harming Taiwan would also negatively impact US interests, making such an outcome unlikely.
The call comes after Trump and Xi met in late October for the first time since 2019, engaging in crucial discussions on trade. The China-US economic rivalry—spanning everything from soybeans to rare earths—has disrupted global markets and strained supply chains for months.
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent recently revealed that Washington hopes to finalize an agreement with Beijing on securing rare earth supplies by Thanksgiving. A preliminary deal reached last month includes China suspending certain export restrictions on critical minerals for one year.
China dominates the global rare earths industry, providing key materials used in advanced electronics, automotive technology, and defence systems.
As part of the agreement between Trump and Xi, the US will reduce tariffs on Chinese goods, while China will commit to purchasing at least 12 million metric tons of American soybeans this year, increasing to 25 million metric tons by 2026.
Xi told Trump that their “successful” South Korea meeting helped guide the future course of China-US relations and injected fresh momentum into cooperation between the world’s two largest economies. He added that ties have remained stable and continue to improve—an outcome welcomed by both countries and the broader international community.
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