Chinese President Xi Jinping spoke with US President Donald Trump by phone on Wednesday, state broadcaster CCTV reported, ahead of an expected visit by Trump to China in April.
Chinese President Xi Jinping held a phone conversation with US President Donald Trump on Wednesday, China’s state broadcaster CCTV said as Washington and Beijing prepare for Trump’s expected visit to China in April.
This is the first direct contact between the two leaders since late November when they last spoke by phone. After that conversation, Trump had described ties with China as “extremely strong.”
Xi’s outreach to Trump came just hours after he held a separate video call with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Following that interaction, the Kremlin confirmed that Putin had accepted Xi’s invitation to visit China in the first half of the year.
Relations between the US and China had remained under strain for months following trade tensions triggered by tariffs imposed by Trump last year. The situation began to stabilise after the two leaders met in October on the sidelines of talks in South Korea, where both sides agreed to a tentative trade truce.
China has since stepped up diplomatic engagement with Western countries, at a time when several close US allies are exploring deeper cooperation with Beijing. This shift comes amid disagreements with Washington over tariffs and Trump’s remarks suggesting the United States could take control of Greenland from NATO ally Denmark.
Xi’s interaction with Putin followed recent visits to China by the British and Canadian prime ministers, while Germany’s chancellor is expected to travel to Beijing in February.
Putin, Xi coordinate views on US ties
Details of the Putin-Xi call were shared by Kremlin foreign policy adviser Yuri Ushakov, who said the two leaders reaffirmed that Moscow and Beijing “support each other on key issues concerning national interests in the face of external challenges.”
Ushakov confirmed that Putin would visit China in the first half of the year at Xi’s invitation. He added that the Russian president would also attend the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit hosted by China in Shenzhen in November.
According to Ushakov, Putin and Xi also exchanged views on their respective relations with the United States, noting that their positions “practically coincide,” including their assessment of US President Donald Trump’s proposed Board of Peace.
“Russia and China stand for equal and mutually beneficial cooperation on the basis of international law and the United Nations Charter,” Ushakov said.
Putin has previously thanked Trump for the invitation to join the Board of Peace and said Moscow would consider the proposal. He also offered to set aside $1 billion from Russian assets frozen in the US to support the rebuilding of Gaza.
Putin and Xi discuss ties with the US
Putin’s foreign affairs adviser Yuri Ushakov, who briefed reporters after the Putin-Xi call, emphasized that Moscow and Beijing “support each other on key issues concerning national interests in the face of external challenges.”
Ushakov said Xi invited Putin to visit China in the first half of the year and the Russian leader accepted. Putin will also attend the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit that China will host in Shenzhen in November, he added.
Putin and Xi exchanged views about their countries’ relations with the United States, Ushakov said, noting they “practically coincide,” including their assessment of U.S. President Donald Trump’s Board of Peace.
“Russia and China stand for equal and mutually beneficial cooperation on the basis of international law and the United Nations Charter,” Ushakov said.
Putin had previously thanked Trump for the invitation to join the Board of Peace and said Moscow would consider it. He also offered to earmark $1 billion from the Russian assets frozen in the US to help rebuild Gaza.
Putin and Xi discuss ties with the US
Putin’s foreign affairs adviser Yuri Ushakov, who briefed reporters after the Putin-Xi call, emphasized that Moscow and Beijing “support each other on key issues concerning national interests in the face of external challenges.”
Ushakov said Xi invited Putin to visit China in the first half of the year and the Russian leader accepted. Putin will also attend the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit that China will host in Shenzhen in November, he added.
Putin and Xi exchanged views about their countries’ relations with the United States, Ushakov said, noting they “practically coincide,” including their assessment of U.S. President Donald Trump’s Board of Peace.
“Russia and China stand for equal and mutually beneficial cooperation on the basis of international law and the United Nations Charter,” Ushakov said.
Putin had previously thanked Trump for the invitation to join the Board of Peace and said Moscow would consider it. He also offered to earmark $1 billion from the Russian assets frozen in the US to help rebuild Gaza.
With inputs from agencies
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