Days before his inauguration, US President-elect Donald Trump held a phone conversation with Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday.
According to China’s foreign ministry, the two leaders discussed trade relations, the drug fentanyl, and TikTok. The call coincided with the US Supreme Court’s decision backing a law to ban TikTok unless its China-based parent company sells it.
“We value interaction and hope to start the China-US relationship on a positive note during the new presidency,” Xi said, as per the ministry’s statement.
While Beijing and Washington have remained at odds over trade and technology, Xi expressed a willingness to secure progress in bilateral ties.
Unusual Diplomatic Moves Surrounding the Inauguration
In December, Trump extended a rare invitation to Xi, but China later announced that Vice President Han Zheng would attend the inauguration as Xi’s special representative. This marks a first, as no Chinese head of state has ever attended a US presidential inauguration.
Additionally, an eight-member delegation from Taiwan departed for the US on Saturday to attend the event. The Taiwanese delegation, led by legislative speaker Han Kuo-yu, emphasized strengthening ties with Washington.
“We bring the best wishes of Taiwan’s 23 million people to President Trump and Vice President Vance,” Han said before leaving.
During President Joe Biden’s tenure, US-Taiwan relations followed a careful balancing act, with Washington aiming to ease tensions with Beijing. However, Biden’s restrictions on advanced technology sales to China and tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles and solar cells added strain to relations.
Trump has previously criticized Taiwan for reducing its semiconductor industry investments in the US but saw significant improvements in US-Taiwan ties during his first term.
Xi Warns Trump Over Taiwan
China’s foreign ministry stated that Xi urged Trump to handle the Taiwan issue “prudently” due to its importance to China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
“Confrontation and conflict should not be options for our countries,” Xi told Trump during the call.
The US, under its domestic laws, is required to provide Taiwan with sufficient military hardware and technology to defend against potential invasions from mainland China.
China considers Taiwan a part of its territory and has vowed to annex the self-governed island by force if necessary, escalating tensions with both Taipei and Washington.
