Trump hails ‘excellent’ phone call with China’s Xi amid trade tensions

Trump stresses his ‘extremely good’ personal relationship with Xi Jinping, key to maintaining stable US-China ties.Published On 4 Feb 2026United States President Donald Trump says he had an “excellent” phone call with Chinese President Xi Jinping, which covered issues including trade, energy, Taiwan, Iran, and Russia’s war in Ukraine.The Wednesday phone call came several hours after Xi spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin, during which both pledged to strengthen ties amid a “turbulent” international environment.Recommended Stories list of 3 itemslist 1 of 3China pitches itself as a reliable partner as Trump alienates US allieslist 2 of 3Why is the UK’s Keir Starmer in China and what does he want to achieve?list 3 of 3Panama court rules Chinese control of canal ports unconstitutionalend of list“All very positive,” Trump said in a social media post. “The relationship with China, and my personal relationship with President Xi, is an extremely good one, and we both realise how important it is to keep it that way.”The US president is expected to travel to China in April and has touted his personal relationship with Xi, even as the two countries continue to spar over competing interests in tech, trade, and geopolitical flashpoints, such as the future of Taiwan.Trump stated that the two leaders discussed the situation in Iran, which has been roiled by recent protests and a harsh security crackdown and that Trump has threatened to attack if Tehran does not make deep concessions on a range of issues, but did not offer further details.A readout of the call from the Chinese government shared by the Xinhua state news agency does not mention Trump’s expected visit, but says that Trump and Xi have maintained “good communication”, including an in-person meeting in Busan, South Korea, last year.The Chinese leader said that differences with the US could be handled amicably so long as they were based on equality and respect, but noted that reunification with Taiwan, the self-governing island that China sees as an essential part of its territory, remains a key priority for Beijing.