President Trump reportedly believes he can bring about a breakthrough in trade talks by getting China's president on the phone, and now, he has his chance. The leaders spoke Thursday morning on a call initiated by Trump, according to China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Chinese Embassy in the US. Trump had been pushing for the call for weeks, per CNN. That outlet's sources say China's Xi Jinping was wary of Trump trying to make a show of the conversation after "Oval Office ambushes of Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelensky and South Africa's Cyril Ramaphosa" drew officials' notice.
Trump reacted to the call afterward online, calling the 90-minute or so chat a "very good" one with a "very positive conclusion for both Countries," per CNN's Kaitlyn Collins. "The conversation was focused almost entirely on TRADE," Trump wrote. "Nothing was discussed concerning Russia/Ukraine, or Iran." He added that "our respective teams will be meeting shortly at a location to be determined," and that Xi has invited him and first lady Melania Trump to visit China, an invite which Trump says he reciprocated.
This is just the second time this year that the leaders have had a one-on-one call, following another just before Trump's inauguration, per CNBC. The outlet notes stocks opened higher on Thursday, with hope that the call would lead to progress in trade talks, though that's yet to be seen. (More President Trump stories.)
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