Trump and Xi Jinping discuss ‘very positive’ long-awaited trade call

President Donald Trump has reportedly spoken with Chinese President Xi Jinping amid the rising economic and national security tensions. 

Trump said Thursday in a Truth Social post that he and the Chinese president spoke during a lengthy call. 

“I just concluded a very good phone call with President Xi, of China, discussing some of the intricacies of our recently made, and agreed to, Trade Deal,” Trump said. “The call lasted approximately one and a half hours, and resulted in a very positive conclusion for both Countries.”

The GOP president explained that the conversation was focused “almost entirely” on trade, and that Xi invited him and first lady Melania Trump to visit China. Trump also noted that he had extended an invitation to Xi and his wife, Peng Liyuan, to visit the U.S. as well

Chinese media first reported the call between the two leaders on Thursday, claiming that it was at Trump’s request. On Sunday, White House National Economic Council Director Kevin told ABC News that Trump was scheduled to meet with China’s president this week.

The call comes about a week after Trump criticized China for breaking an initial trade agreement reached between the two countries in May, and a day after, Trump said Xi was “extremely difficult to work with” in a Truth Social post.

Following the negotiations, both countries agreed that the United States would reduce its tariffs on Chinese imports from 145% to 30%, while China would reduce its levies on U.S. imports from 125% to just 10%.

However, on Friday, Trump accused China of not holding up its end of the bargain, although he refrained from disclosing specifics. 

“The bad news is that China, perhaps not surprisingly to some, HAS TOTALLY VIOLATED ITS AGREEMENT WITH US,” Trump said Friday in a social media post. “So much for being Mr. NICE GUY!”

On the flip side, China pressed the U.S. to reverse course and address its own mistakes. 

“China once again urges the US to immediately correct its erroneous actions, cease discriminatory restrictions against China and jointly uphold the consensus reached at the high-level talks in Geneva,” Chinese embassy spokesperson Liu Pengyu said in a Friday statement.

Nonetheless, Trump later indicated that the two leaders had ironed out their differences. 

“We had a very good talk, and we’ve straightened out any complexity, and it’s very complex stuff, and we straightened it out,” Trump said Thursday during an Oval Office press briefing with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz. 

“I think we’re in very good shape with China and the trade deal,” Trump said. “We have a deal with China, as you know, but we were straightening out some of the points… I would say we have a deal, and we’re going to just make sure that everybody understands what the deal is.”

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