Physical Address
304 North Cardinal St.
Dorchester Center, MA 02124
Unlock the White House Watch newsletter for free
Your guide to what the 2024 US election means for Washington and the world
Donald Trump had his first phone call with Chinese President Xi Jinping since leaving the White House in 2021, with the two leaders discussing the fate of TikTok before the Supreme Court upheld a ban on the app. United States.
The conversation between the leaders was their first in four years and came two days before the law went into effect, forcing app stores to stop offering it to users.
“I just spoke with President Xi Jinping of China. The call was very good for China and the USA,” Trump wrote on his real social media platform on Friday. “We discussed balancing Trade, Fentanyl, TikTok, and many other topics . President Xi and I will do everything we can to make the Earth peaceful and secure! “
Chinese state media also confirmed the call on Friday, but did not provide details, including any discussion about TikTok. TrumpThe incoming national security team has been meeting with Beijing, but the call between the Chinese leader and the incoming US president marks the first direct communication between the men in four years.
The call comes three days before Trump’s inauguration in which he will be joined by Chinese vice president Han Zheng, the first time a high-ranking Chinese official has attended an American inauguration.
The The Financial Times reported last week that Xi would send an envoy to Washington after Trump invited the Chinese leader to the event.
Some Trump advisers had hoped Beijing would send Cai Qi, a member of the Politburo Standing Committee who is closest to Xi and wields more power than Han, who sometimes represents Xi at ceremonial functions. .
Washington and Beijing are waiting to see what kind of policy Trump will unveil at the start of his administration. He has threatened to impose tariffs on China and many other countries, but it is unclear whether he will do so to gain access to negotiations with Beijing or whether he will begin negotiations on a trade deal with China and using rates if negotiations exist. it doesn’t work.
The announcement comes two days before US app stores must stop stocking TikTok, the video-sharing app that has been downloaded by more than 170 million Americans. The law – backed by a Supreme Court ruling High on Friday morning – banning the app unless its Chinese owner ByteDance sells the platform.
Trump has shown support for TikTok, raising questions about whether his administration will prosecute companies that violate the law.
US-China relations dropped to the lowest level since the two countries established diplomatic relations in 1979 during the Biden administration on issues ranging from US foreign policy to differences over Taiwan.
While Biden and Xi have managed to stabilize some ties over the past year, the countries remain at odds over many issues, including China’s support for Russia’s all-out invasion of Ukraine.
Trump has named several China hawks to serve in his administration, including Mike Waltz as US national security adviser and Marco Rubio as secretary of state.
Scott Bessent, the nominee for Treasury secretary, this week said Trump would push China to buy more US agricultural products, such as corn and soybeans, as part of a small trade deal he struck with China in the past.
Besent said Trump would also be aggressive in imposing foreign controls that would affect China. Beijing has repeatedly criticized the Biden administration for introducing stricter export controls on chips and artificial intelligence-related technology in order to slow the advancement of the People’s Liberation Army.
But China experts are watching closely to see if some of the tech billionaires in Trump’s circle, such as Elon Musk, will try to convince the incoming president to take a hard line on the issue.
