President-elect Donald Trump has confirmed direct communication with Chinese President Xi Jinping in recent days, marking the first known high-level contact between the two since Trump’s reelection in November, Bloomberg reports.
In an interview with NBC’s Meet the Press, Trump said that “we’ve had communication” as recently as last week, although he declined to specify the exact timing or content of the discussions. Their last in-person meeting occurred in June 2019.
Trump referenced previous agreements with Xi, specifically regarding efforts to curb the flow of fentanyl into the United States. The renewed communication signals a resumption of high-level dialogue between Beijing and Trump’s camp, following outreach from Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum last month. Both leaders spoke with Trump after his public threats to impose tariffs to address illegal immigration and drug trafficking.
The confirmation of contact comes at a time of escalating trade tensions between the US and China. Trump’s campaign promise to impose 60% tariffs on Chinese goods, a move that could severely damage bilateral trade, has heightened concerns. This threat is further amplified by Trump’s appointments of several prominent China hawks to key administration positions, including the nomination of former Senator David Perdue as US ambassador to China. China has also escalated tensions by banning the export of several high-tech and military-related materials.
Responding to questions about the communication, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning offered a non-committal response, saying that China’s policy toward the US remains consistent and focused on mutual respect, peaceful coexistence, and cooperation.
While US-China relations have shown some stability recently, with progress made on fentanyl reduction, Trump’s recent accusations of Beijing reneging on its pledges and his threats of retribution continue to cast a shadow over the relationship. Xi Jinping’s congratulatory message to Trump following the election and his expressed desire for a “healthy and sustainable” relationship seem to be at odds with the rising rhetoric and potential trade war looming on the horizon.
