Chinese President Xi Jinping has signaled he is willing to accelerate China’s purchases of American goods, according to US President Donald Trump, following what Beijing described as a “positive, friendly and constructive” phone conversation between the two leaders.
Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One on Tuesday night, Trump said he directly urged Xi to increase the pace of Chinese imports from the United States. The call comes amid renewed efforts by Washington and Beijing to stabilize their trade relationship after years of tariff battles and high-level tensions.
“I think we’ll be pleasantly surprised by the actions of President Xi,” Trump told reporters. “I asked him, I’d like you to buy it a little faster. I’d like you to buy more. And he’s more or less agreed to do that.”
China Signals Cooperation as Trade Detente Continues
Trump’s optimism follows Beijing’s recent announcement that it would resume purchases of US soybeans and halt expanded restrictions on rare earth exports, steps widely viewed as confidence-building measures in the fragile trade truce.
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said China has committed to buying 12 million metric tonnes of American soybeans in 2025. However, reporting from Reuters indicates that actual Chinese orders have been advancing more slowly than anticipated. USDA data shows that so far, roughly two million metric tonnes have been purchased.
The renewed trade communication comes just weeks after Trump and Xi met in Busan, South Korea, where both sides agreed to a framework for a future trade deal—though details remain under negotiation.
Xi Emphasizes Historical Ties and Warns on Taiwan Issue
During Monday’s call, Xi referenced the historical partnership between the US and China during World War II, saying both countries “once fought side by side against fascism and militarism.”
He added that the two nations should work together to “safeguard the outcomes of World War II,” according to China’s state news agency Xinhua.
Xi also reiterated Beijing’s long-standing position that Taiwan is an inseparable part of China, calling the island’s “return to China” an integral component of the post-war international order.
China considers Taiwan part of its territory and has not ruled out the use of force to achieve unification. The United States, meanwhile, remains Taiwan’s primary security partner, supplying defensive military equipment under the Taiwan Relations Act.
Trump has continued a policy of strategic ambiguity, avoiding a clear statement on whether the US would deploy troops if a conflict erupted in the Taiwan Strait, while his administration has encouraged Taipei to increase defense spending.
Trump Highlights Progress on Trade, Security and Drug Enforcement
On Truth Social, Trump described the conversation as “very good,” noting that the leaders discussed topics such as Ukraine, the fentanyl crisis, and American agricultural exports.
“Our relationship with China is extremely strong,” Trump wrote. “This call was a follow-up to our highly successful meeting in South Korea three weeks ago. Since then, there has been significant progress on both sides in keeping our agreements current and accurate.”
Trump added that the two leaders can now “set our sights on the big picture.”
The US president also confirmed that he accepted Xi’s invitation to visit Beijing in April, and that he extended a reciprocal invitation for Xi to make a state visit to the US later in the year.
Beijing: Washington Initiated the Call
China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Tuesday that Washington initiated the phone call. Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning praised the discussion, describing it as “positive, friendly and constructive.”
Mao added that open communication between the heads of state is “crucial for the stable development of China-US relations,” particularly on issues where the two countries share common interests.
Leave a Reply