US-China Relations: Trump and Jinping hold phone call, TikTok and US-China trade talks top agenda

US-China Relations: US President Donald Trump and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping held a crucial phone conversation on Friday. The call aimed to finalize an agreement allowing the Chinese-owned social media platform TikTok to operate in the US. The two leaders also discussed ways to ease trade tensions between the world's two largest economies. According to a White House official and China's Xinhua News Agency, the conversation began at 8 a.m. Washington time. This call could signal that the two leaders may meet in person in the near future to discuss a final agreement to end their trade war and set the direction for bilateral relations.

Trump's Second Call

This phone call was Trump's second conversation with Xi Jinping since re-entering the White House. During his tenure, Trump imposed high tariffs on China, leading to a series of trade sanctions and significantly escalating tensions between the two countries. However, the situation has since calmed somewhat following a trade agreement. Now, Trump has agreed to future trade agreements, including the TikTok issue. The sale of control of TikTok's parent company, ByteDance, is a condition for TikTok to avoid a US ban. This move is considered a significant step toward reducing tensions between the two countries.

Trump's Statement and Future Prospects

Trump, describing the call, said, "I'm talking to President Xi on Friday. It's about TikTok and trade. We're very close to an agreement." He mentioned his "very good" relationship with China, but also made an unexpected comment regarding Russia's war in Ukraine. Trump said that if European countries impose higher tariffs on China, the war could end. This statement has added a new dimension to international diplomacy. Meanwhile, China's Washington Embassy did not confirm any summit, but clarified that diplomacy between the top leaders is extremely important to China-US relations.