BEIJING: Chinese President Xi Jinping on Thursday held phone talks with US President Donald Trump at the latter’s request, according to the Xinhua News Agency.
Xi said on Thursday that dialogue and cooperation are the only correct choice for China and the US. In his phone talks with Trump, Xi said that recalibrating the direction of the giant ship of China-US relations requires the two sides to take the helm and set the right course, adding that it is particularly important to steer clear of the various disturbances and disruptions.
Noting that at the suggestion of the US side, the two countries’ lead officials recently held an economic and trade meeting in Geneva, Xi said it marked an important step forward in resolving the relevant issues through dialogue and consultation, and was welcomed by both societies and the international community.
The two sides need to make good use of the economic and trade consultation mechanism already in place, and seek win-win results in the spirit of equality and respect for each other’s concerns, he said, adding that the Chinese side is sincere about this, and at the same time has its principles.
The Chinese, Xi said, always honor and deliver what has been promised, urging both sides to make good on the agreement reached in Geneva. In fact, China has been seriously and earnestly executing the agreement, Xi added. The US side should acknowledge the progress already made, and remove the negative measures taken against China, he said.
The two sides should enhance communication in such fields as foreign affairs, economy and trade, military, and law enforcement to build consensus, clear up misunderstandings, and strengthen cooperation, Xi added.
Xi emphasized that the US must handle the Taiwan question with prudence, so that the fringe separatists bent on “Taiwan independence” will not be able to drag China and the US into the dangerous terrain of confrontation and even conflict.
Trump expressed his respect for President Xi and reaffirmed the importance of China-US relations. He welcomed China’s continued economic growth and noted that the two countries can achieve great things through cooperation, according to Xinhua.
The US president stated that the US will continue to uphold the one-China principle and reiterated that the Geneva trade talks were very successful, resulting in a strong agreement. He said the US is ready to work with China to implement the agreement and also welcomed Chinese students to study in the US. Xi also said Trump is welcome to visit China again.
The two heads of state agreed for both teams to continue implementing the consensus reached in Geneva and to hold a new round of talks as soon as possible.
“I just concluded a very good phone call with President Xi, of China, discussing some of the intricacies of our recently made, and agreed to, Trade Deal. The call lasted approximately one and a half hours, and resulted in a very positive conclusion for both Countries,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
During the conversation, President Xi graciously invited the First Lady and me to visit China, and I reciprocated. As Presidents of two Great Nations, this is something that we both look forward to doing. The conversation was focused almost entirely on TRADE, Trump wrote.
Stock futures jumped after Xi’s phone call with Trump. Futures tied to the Dow gained 89 points, or 0.2 percent. S&P 500 futures were also higher by 0.2 percent along with Nasdaq-100 futures, CNBC reported. –The Daily Mail-Global Times news exchange item
