Xi tells Trump that Taiwan’s ‘return’ is key to post-war order in phone call
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US President Donald Trump described his phone call with Chinese President Xi Jinping as “very good”, saying they spoke about purchases of soya beans and curbing shipments of illegal fentanyl.
PHOTO: REUTERS
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BEIJING – US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping on Nov 24 held their first talks since agreeing to a tariff truce in October, discussing trade, Taiwan and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Mr Trump said the telephone call was “very good” and that the leaders spoke about purchases of soya beans and other farm products as well as curbing shipments of illegal fentanyl.
The US leader added that he agreed to visit Beijing in April and had invited Mr Xi for a state visit in 2026.
“Our relationship with China is extremely strong!” Mr Trump posted on social media. “There has been significant progress on both sides in keeping our agreements current and accurate. Now we can set our sights on the big picture.”
Mr Xi told Mr Trump that the return of Taiwan to China is a key part of the post-World War II international order, according to a Chinese Foreign Ministry statement.
The Chinese leader also said the two countries should maintain the positive momentum generated during their October meeting in South Korea and expand cooperation, the statement said.
They also spoke about Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and Mr Xi expressed hope for the two sides to reach a binding peace agreement, the ministry said.
An ongoing row between Japan and China
That deal saw Washington lower fentanyl-related tariffs on Chinese goods and Beijing agree to remove certain restrictions on the export of rare earths. Any flare-up between the US and China could cause further uncertainty for markets and business leaders.
New Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said earlier in November that a hypothetical Chinese attack on Taiwan could result in a military response from Tokyo. Beijing views the island as its own territory and has denounced Ms Takaichi’s remarks, demanding a retraction.
Since then, China has issued a no-travel advisory for Japan, suspended the screening of some Japanese films and banned the import of Japanese seafood. Both countries have also stepped up military drills, with China announcing patrols in the East China Sea and Japan announcing plans to deploy missiles to an area near Taiwan.
Mr Trump said in a Nov 2 interview with CBS News’ 60 Minutes that Mr Xi “understands the answer to that” when asked if US forces would come to the defence of Taiwan in the event of a Chinese attack. The US leader said the subject did not come up during their meeting in October.
Trade terms
The US and China are still negotiating key details over how Beijing will free up sales of rare earths, according to people familiar with the matter. The two nations aim to agree on terms for “general licences” that China pledged to offer for US-bound exports of rare earths and critical minerals by the end of November.
Despite ongoing talks over the materials, which are critical to the manufacture of high-tech electronics, remaining in limbo, the US has already moved to roll back tariffs and national security measures. Shortfalls in rare earth supplies have left global industries - including autos, consumer goods and robotics – at risk of disruptions.
The discussion also comes as the Trump administration is again weighing whether to allow the sale of more advanced artificial intelligence chips to Beijing.
Mr Trump had floated the possibility before his October meeting with Mr Xi, but the two leaders ultimately did not discuss the issue. Some Trump advisers have warned that potential sales could risk ceding the US’ advantage
The US President is hearing from “lots of different advisers” in deciding whether to approve future exports, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said on Nov 24 in a Bloomberg Television interview.
“That kind of decision sits right on the desk of Donald Trump,” Mr Lutnick said. “He will decide whether we go forward with that or not.”
Mr Trump also said on Nov 14 that the US was talking to the Chinese government about increasing purchases of American soya beans, another provision of the agreement.
“They’re in the process of doing it,” Mr Trump said. “We spoke to them today. They’re in the process. We’re doing not only a little bit, but they’ll be doing a lot of soya bean purchase.” BLOOMBERG
