Representative image (AI-generated)
US President Donald Trump on Tuesday said that he shares a strong personal rapport with his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping and added that he plans to travel to Beijing in April next year.Speaking to reporters during a press gaggle aboard Air Force One, Trump referred to his recent outreach to global leaders and expressed optimism over future cooperation with China. “I think we will be pleasantly surprised by the actions of President Xi. I have a great relationship with him. I like him. He likes me. I will be going there in April,” Trump said. The US President also recently held talks with Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi as part of his ongoing diplomatic outreach in Asia, highlighting close US-Japan ties and shared economic goals.Detailing his recent diplomatic conversations, the US President said, “I had a great talk. I have a very good relationship with her. I also had a very good talk with President Xi of China. And I think that part of the world is doing fine… It was mostly trade… I think we will be pleasantly surprised by the actions of President Xi. I have a great relationship with him. I like him, he likes me… With Japan, likewise. I just came back from Japan, and we have a great relationship, the new Prime Minister and myself. She’s very smart, she’s very strong, and she’s going to be a great leader.” Trump’s remarks came a day after he and President Xi held a telephone conversation in which the two leaders discussed a wide range of issues, including trade ties, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, fentanyl controls, soybeans and other agricultural products. The phone call, according to both Washington and Beijing, was aimed at maintaining the positive momentum since their meeting in South Korea last month and ensuring stability in bilateral dialogue. Officials who were briefed on the conversation said both leaders reiterated their willingness to keep communication channels open as they navigate areas of cooperation and contention.In a detailed Truth Social post on Monday, Trump had already hinted at renewed engagement, describing the call with Xi as “very good” and revealing that the Chinese President had invited him to visit China in April.Reaffirming confidence in bilateral ties, he wrote: “Our relationship with China is extremely strong!” Trump added that Xi would later travel to the United States for a state visit, in what would mark another high-level meeting aimed at sustaining economic momentum between the two largest economies.”Since then, there has been significant progress on both sides in keeping our agreements current and accurate. Now we can set our sights on the big picture. To that end, President Xi invited me to visit Beijing in April, which I accepted, and I reciprocated where he will be my guest for a State Visit in the U.S. later in the year. We agreed that it is important that we communicate often, which I look forward to doing,” his post read. The US President made a state visit to Beijing in November 2017 during his first term where discussions were primarily focused on trade tensions, North Korea’s missile programme and strengthening broader cooperation.