President Donald Trump on Monday declared U.S.–China relations “extremely strong” after an unpublicized phone call with Chinese President Xi Jinping, a conversation that revealed sharply different emphases from Washington and Beijing as both countries navigate a tense regional climate.
According to China’s Xinhua News Agency, Xi used the call to underscore that Taiwan’s “return to China” remains central to Beijing’s vision of the international order established after World War II. He argued that the U.S. and China, once wartime allies, should again work together to “safeguard the outcomes” of that era. Trump’s public remarks, however, made no reference to Taiwan—an omission that stood in contrast to Beijing’s strong focus on the issue.
The call followed the leaders’ meeting in South Korea several weeks prior, where both sides announced a framework for a long-awaited trade agreement. That deal has not yet been finalized, but U.S. officials say momentum has been positive. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed that the conversation lasted roughly an hour and centered heavily on trade matters. “We are pleased with what we’ve seen from the Chinese, and they feel the same way,” she told reporters.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump described the call as “very good” and said discussions covered Ukraine, fentanyl, U.S. agriculture, and the implementation of existing trade commitments. “Our relationship with China is extremely strong,” he said, adding that the exchange was meant to ensure both sides remain aligned as negotiations continue. Trump also said he accepted Xi’s invitation to visit Beijing in April, while extending his own invitation for a state visit to the United States later next year.
The trade backdrop has been fraught. Trump’s tariff actions reignited tensions earlier this year, leading to a standoff until the two leaders reached a framework agreement on October 30 in Busan. Under that arrangement, the U.S. agreed to drop plans for 100% tariffs on Chinese imports, while China paused its proposed export-license controls on rare earth minerals and magnets—critical materials for global manufacturing and defense.
Progress has been uneven but notable. China has resumed purchases of U.S. soybeans, and Washington has cut tariffs by 10% in exchange for Beijing’s efforts to curb the export of chemicals used in fentanyl production. U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has expressed optimism that the rare earths portion of the deal could be finalized by Thanksgiving.
Beijing’s readout also emphasized that China–U.S. ties have “stabilized and improved” since the South Korea meeting. Xi urged both countries to “maintain positive momentum,” reiterating China’s support for diplomatic efforts aimed at ending the war in Ukraine. Analysts noted that Xi’s Taiwan comments echoed statements he made in Russia earlier this year—an attempt, they say, to correct international perceptions after reports that Taiwan was not discussed during the Busan meeting.
Meanwhile, regional tensions continue to mount, particularly between China and U.S. ally Japan. Tokyo recently announced plans to deploy a medium-range surface-to-air missile system on Yonaguni Island, just 110 kilometers from Taiwan. Beijing quickly criticized the move, accusing Japan of heightening regional instability. But security experts, including former U.S. National Security Council official Marvin Park, noted that the missile system’s 50-kilometer range makes it purely defensive.
“China’s deeper concern is not this system itself, but the possibility that it serves as a stepping stone for broader Japanese rearmament,” Park said. “A defensive deployment now could make future calls for more advanced capabilities easier to justify.”
Trump has largely avoided commenting on the Japan–China friction over Taiwan, though U.S. Ambassador to Japan George Glass recently reaffirmed that Washington supports Tokyo amid what he called China’s “coercion.”
With both leaders projecting confidence in the bilateral relationship, the call signaled cautious progress on trade but underscored the widening gap on Taiwan—an issue Beijing insists must remain central, even as Washington keeps its public focus elsewhere.
