US President Donald Trump on Friday called his conversation with Chinese President Xi Jinping a ‘productive one’. According to Trump, the call touched upon various aspects such as trade, fentanyl, and the TikTok deal. Trump also said he would meet Xi at the APEC Summit in South Korea.“I just completed a very productive call with President Xi of China. We made progress on many very important issues including Trade, Fentanyl, the need to bring the War between Russia and Ukraine to an end, and the approval of the TikTok Deal. I also agreed with President Xi that we would meet at the APEC Summit in South Korea, that I would go to China in the early part of next year, and that President Xi would, likewise, come to the United States at an appropriate time. The call was a very good one, we will be speaking again by phone, appreciate the TikTok approval, and both look forward to meeting at APEC!” Trump ousted on Truth Social.
The telephone discussion comes as both the US and China, the world’s largest economies, attempt to reach an agreement regarding tariffs.The conversation marks their second discussion since Trump’s January return to the White House, and their third interaction this year.Ahead of the telephone conversation, Trump had said, “I’m speaking with President Xi, as you know, on Friday, having to do with TikTok, and also trade,” Trump.“And we’re very close to deals on all of it. And my relationship with China is very good.”On June 5, the US president mentioned Xi’s invitation to visit China, whilst extending a reciprocal invitation for the Chinese leader to visit the United States.The two countries significantly increased their respective tariffs during a prolonged disagreement earlier this year, causing disruption to international supply networks.Washington and Beijing established an agreement to lower tariffs, which will conclude in November, with the US implementing 30% tariffs on Chinese imports whilst China imposes a 10% levy on American products.The telephone discussion follows Xi’s organisation of Shanghai Cooperation Organization this month, where he hosted Russia’s Vladimir Putin and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He also invited North Korea’s Kim Jong Un to witness a substantial military parade in Beijing.“Please give my warmest regards to (Russian President) Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong Un as you conspire against the United States of America,” Trump posted to Xi on his Truth Social platform earlier this month.The American president imposed punitive duties on India regarding its Moscow oil acquisitions and urged European nations to penalise China for purchasing Russian oil, although Washington has not directly sanctioned Beijing.“If they did that on China, I think the war (in Ukraine) would maybe end,” Trump stated during his Fox News appearance.