U.S. President-elect Donald Trump stated that he and Chinese leader Xi Jinping have already communicated through intermediaries and expressed confidence that they will be able to find common ground.
According to Reuters, Trump emphasized that Xi is a strong and respected figure in China. He also reiterated that China is “stealing” from the U.S. economically. In response, China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs highlighted the importance of Trump’s statements and confirmed its willingness to support the stable development of economic and trade relations.
However, the Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson did not clarify whether Trump and Xi communicated directly, noting that contacts between Washington and Beijing are maintained through various channels.
Earlier, media reports stated that Trump’s team had extended an invitation for a meeting with Xi Jinping, but according to sources, he declined. Additionally, Trump announced that on the first day of his presidency, he would impose tariffs on all goods coming to the U.S. from China, Mexico, and Canada.
He explained that this decision was due to these countries not taking action to combat drugs entering the U.S. Trump mentioned that he had “numerous conversations” with China regarding drugs, particularly fentanyl, but “without result.” In response, Chinese embassy spokesperson Liu Pengyu stated that a trade war would not benefit either the U.S. or China.
