WASHINGTON — President-elect Donald Trump shared in a Truth Social post on Friday that he had a conversation that morning with Chinese President Xi Jinping, just three days prior to his inauguration. “I just spoke to Chairman Xi Jinping of China. The call was very positive for both China and the U.S.A. I anticipate that we will work together to address many issues, starting immediately,” Trump wrote. “We talked about balancing Trade, Fentanyl, TikTok, and various other topics. President Xi and I are committed to making the world a more peaceful and secure place.”
Earlier on Friday morning, Chinese state media outlet Xinhua also confirmed that Xi and Trump had a phone conversation. An official statement from the Chinese Foreign Ministry emphasized that during the call, “President Xi emphasized” that both nations “are pursuing their own dreams” and should continue to be “partners and friends.”
“President Xi emphasized that it is natural for two major countries with different national circumstances to have disagreements. The key is to respect each other’s core interests and main concerns and find appropriate solutions,” the statement elaborated.
The Chinese Embassy in Washington had previously announced that the nation’s vice president, Han Zheng, would attend Trump’s inauguration as “President Xi Jinping’s special representative,” marking the first time a senior Chinese leader will attend a U.S. president’s inauguration.
Trump’s call with Xi on Friday comes amid his repeated threats in recent weeks to impose tariffs on China after taking office, holding the Asian nation responsible for exacerbating the fentanyl crisis. In a Truth Social post in late November, Trump mentioned, “I have had numerous discussions with China regarding the significant quantities of drugs, particularly Fentanyl, being imported into the United States — But to no avail. Until they cease, we will impose an additional 10% Tariff on China, on top of any other Tariffs, on all their products entering the United States of America.”
TikTok has also emerged as a significant concern for Trump, with the Chinese-owned app facing a ban in the U.S. on Sunday, one day before the president-elect’s second term. A bipartisan bill from 2024, passed by Congress and signed into law by President Joe Biden, aimed to compel TikTok to sell the app to a U.S.-based company or face a ban. The legislation was driven by apprehensions that ByteDance, TikTok’s parent company, was influenced by the Chinese Communist Party, raising privacy and national security worries.
Trump attempted to halt the law’s enforcement, urging the Supreme Court to pause it so that the incoming administration could explore ways to potentially salvage TikTok. However, the Supreme Court announced on Friday morning its intention to allow the ban to proceed.
Two officials from the Biden administration confirmed earlier in the week that in their final hours, they would not enforce penalties against TikTok as per the law if the app remained operational beyond Sunday. Trump is set to assume office at noon on Monday. TikTok CEO Shou Chew is
