In a significant move for global diplomacy, US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping have agreed to exchange high-profile state visits in the coming year, signalling a concerted effort to stabilise and strengthen the bilateral relationship between the world's two largest economies.
Reciprocal Visits to Cement Diplomatic Ties
The announcement was made by President Trump on Monday, November 24, via his Truth Social platform. President Trump confirmed he has accepted an invitation from President Xi to visit Beijing in April. In a reciprocal gesture, Trump has extended an invitation for Xi to undertake a state visit to the United States later in the year.
"This call was a follow up to our highly successful meeting in South Korea, three weeks ago," Trump stated, referring to their late-October encounter in Busan. He emphasised the "extremely strong" state of the US-China relationship, adding that significant progress has been made by both sides in keeping agreements current and accurate, allowing them to now "set our sights on the big picture."
Key Issues: Taiwan, Trade, and Ukraine Dominate Talks
The planning for the state visits followed a comprehensive phone conversation between the two leaders, which covered several critical geopolitical issues. High on the agenda were discussions on trade, the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war, and the sensitive topic of Taiwan.
According to China's foreign ministry, President Xi firmly reiterated Beijing's stance on Taiwan, describing its return to mainland control as "an integral part of the post-war international order." He told President Trump, "Given what is going on, it is even more important for us to jointly safeguard the victory of WWII." This exchange gains added significance amidst recent tensions with Japan, after Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi suggested Tokyo could consider military intervention if China were to attack Taiwan.
Trade Momentum and Ukraine Peace Efforts
Both leaders also took stock of the progress on the tentative trade agreement reached during their Busan meeting. That deal involved Beijing suspending certain export restrictions on critical minerals for one year, while the US committed to cutting tariffs and increasing soybean purchases from American farmers.
President Xi stressed the importance of maintaining this positive momentum, noting that the South Korea meeting had "recalibrated the course of the giant ship of China-US relations." President Trump echoed this sentiment, proudly highlighting the benefits for American agriculture, stating, "We have done a good, and very important, deal for our Great Farmers — and it will only get better."
The call also touched upon the war in Ukraine, with Xi reaffirming China's support for efforts to achieve a "fair, lasting and binding peace agreement." He urged all involved parties to work towards narrowing their differences to resolve the ongoing crisis.
