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Trump meets Xi at the G20 leaders summit in Osaka, Japan
FILE PHOTO: U.S. President Donald Trump meets with China's President Xi Jinping at the start of their bilateral meeting at the G20 leaders summit in Osaka, Japan, June 29, 2019. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque/File Photo Image: Reuters/Kevin Lamarque
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Trump, China's Xi hold call on TikTok, trade, Taiwan

31 Comments
By Doina Chiacu, Michael Martina and Yukun Zhang

U.S. President-elect Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping discussed issues including TikTok, trade and Taiwan in a phone call on Friday, just days before Trump takes office again promising tariffs that could ratchet up tensions between the world's two biggest economies.

Both leaders were upbeat about the call, with Trump calling it "a very good one" and Xi saying he and Trump both hoped for a positive start to U.S.-China relations, according to Chinese state broadcaster CCTV.

It was the first known phone call between the pair after Trump's election in November.

The U.S. and China are embroiled in an array of diplomatic and economic disagreements, including an accelerating technological and military rivalry and bitter trade disputes. Marco Rubio, Trump's nominee to be his secretary of state, has defined China as the gravest threat facing the U.S. and warned about the risks of possible military conflict between the two countries.

The call came shortly before U.S. Supreme Court on Friday announced a ruling upholding a law that mandates TikTok owner ByteDance divest TikTok's U.S. assets by Sunday to a non-Chinese buyer, or be banned on national security concerns.

"The call was a very good one for both China and the U.S.A. It is my expectation that we will solve many problems together, and starting immediately. We discussed balancing Trade, Fentanyl, TikTok, and many other subjects," Trump wrote on his social media platform.

"President Xi and I will do everything possible to make the World more peaceful and safe!"

Xi raised China's concerns about Taiwan, which Beijing maintains is part of its territory, and said he hoped the U.S. would treat the matter with great care.

"The Taiwan issue concerns China's national sovereignty and territorial integrity, and he hopes the U.S. side will handle it with caution," he said according to Chinese state television.

Xi said the United States and China can have their differences but must respect each other's core interests, and that trade relations can be mutually beneficial without confrontation and conflict, comments similar to those he made during Trump's first term.

The Chinese readout of the call said the two leaders agreed to set up a "channel of strategic communication to keep in regular touch on major issues of shared interest."

Trump offered strong support to Taiwan, including regularizing arms sales, in his first term. But during the campaign last year, he said Taiwan should pay the U.S. to be defended.

The Republican president-elect, who upended trade relations in his first term, is about to embark on an even more aggressive effort in his second term. He has pledged to impose an additional 10% tariff on Chinese goods unless Beijing does more to stop trafficking of the highly addictive narcotic fentanyl, and he threatened tariffs in excess of 60% on Chinese goods while on the campaign trail.

Trump said on Jan. 6 that he and Xi have been communicating through representatives, expressing optimism about their relationship.

Zack Cooper, a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute think tank, said whether Trump in coming days would permit TikTok to operate without a qualified divestment and whether he applied tariffs on China quickly or first began negotiations with Beijing would be early indicators of how confrontational his stance toward China would be.

Trump posted online later that his decision on TikTok would be coming soon, and that "everyone must respect" the Supreme Court ruling.

Breaking with tradition, Trump had invited Xi and other foreign leaders to his Jan. 20 inauguration, but China is sending Vice President Han Zheng, a move signaling Beijing's desire to step up communication with the incoming administration.

Still, any "grand bargain" between the two sides over trade, Taiwan and other strategic issues would be difficult to reach, said Scott Kennedy, a China expert at the Center for Strategic and International Studies think tank in Washington.

"There's an immense amount of distance between what one can imagine and actually achieving such an outcome. The interests between the U.S. and China on many of these issues are different and the views of key advisors to both are quite hawkish," Kennedy said.

© (Thomson Reuters 2025.

©2025 GPlusMedia Inc.

31 Comments

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All authoritarian state companies need similar rules, not just TikTok.

Owned 51% by people outside the authoritarian country.

Content rules need to match the rest of social networking content rules.

Engineering and all support need to NOT be located inside the authoritarian state.

The list of authoritarian states is already maintained. It is important not to allow them to earn money from free countries.

0 ( +3 / -3 )

It's going to be fascinating period in world politics, during Trump's 2nd tenure. The US is aggressive and hegemonic and Trump is the unfiltered mouthpiece for American political and strategic thoughts and objectives. That Rubio is openly saying that Military conflict between the two is a 'possibility', tells you where they are at, and is fairly alarming.

Interesting also will be to watch how prepared China is to stand up to US intimidation and coercion.

Popcorn time.

-2 ( +2 / -4 )

TikTok: "Never heard of it, don' care"

Trade: "Buy our stuff, but we're going to slap massive imports on yours"

Taiwan: "Do what you want, I won't lift a finger to stop you"

2 ( +4 / -2 )

imports = tariffs. Pre caffeine typing bad.

2 ( +4 / -2 )

Trump, China's Xi hold call on TikTok, trade, Taiwan

And payoffs, trademarks for family members, Hong Kong Casinos, secret bank accounts, and best of all, some cheap Top Secret documents...

https://www.foxnews.com/politics/trump-china-bank-account-hotel-deals-tax-records

6 ( +7 / -1 )

When China ban all Western apps in its country, was there any protest or court hearings? NO. CCP just ban them right out. Everyone who comes to China has to install Chinese apps in order to allow them to spy on you every which ways they want.

Now the US ban just Tiktok through proper political and lawful processes, there are so many people turn around and condemn the US government. How stupid can you be? All Chinese apps and businesses are always under the CCP's control and aim to infiltrate into the Free World spreading its lies and propaganda, as well as to poke and peek into the users minds and personal information for its own uses or aim to destroy the fabric of your society and economy.

If you love the CCP for its "freedom of speech" and "safety", why don't you migrate to China for goods?

6 ( +8 / -2 )

Trump hated TikTok until it helped him with “the youth” vote.

Shows you the depth of his national security concerns.

Now watch the chicken hawks like Tom Cotton and Lindsey Graham do the 180.

6 ( +7 / -1 )

Now the US ban just Tiktok through proper political and lawful processes, there are so many people turn around and condemn the US government. How stupid can you be? All Chinese apps and businesses are always under the CCP's control and aim to infiltrate into the Free World spreading its lies and propaganda, as well as to poke and peek into the users minds and personal information for its own uses or aim to destroy the fabric of your society and economy.

If you love the CCP for its "freedom of speech" and "safety", why don't you migrate to China for goods?

Absolutely

-9 ( +1 / -10 )

Trump hated TikTok until it helped him with “the youth” vote. 

Makes sense, he probably had no idea the reason or potentiality of the app.

Shows you the depth of his national security concerns. 

Well, my parents for a long time didn’t understand the worth and popularity of such an app. Now they do after week explained to them the pros and cons of having the app.

Now watch the chicken hawks like Tom Cotton and Lindsey Graham do the 180

AND? They can think however they want, whether the app stays or goes is up to Trump, not them.

-11 ( +0 / -11 )

Trump hated TikTok until it helped him with “the youth” vote. 

Makes sense, he probably had no idea the reason or potentiality of the app.

So he was getting riled up about something he didn’t understand. How very maga.

7 ( +9 / -2 )

Talks between Trump and Xi..

Tiktok will stay in US..

-4 ( +2 / -6 )

Tiktok will stay in US..

“If”they can get a US buyer, yes.

-10 ( +0 / -10 )

Well, my parents for a long time didn’t understand the worth and popularity of such an app. Now they do after week explained to them the pros and cons of having the app.

Your parents weren't running for president.

A serious candidate would have done some research before spouting off. But Trump isn't a serious person.

9 ( +10 / -1 )

Your parents weren't running for president.

Neither are yours, right?

A serious candidate would have done some research before spouting off.

When the libs say the word “serious” regarding politics, I have to laugh. Pardon me, Plastic.

But Trump isn't a serious person.

If not, Dems wouldn’t be falling out of their seats.

Thank you for your opinion.

Ditto

-12 ( +0 / -12 )

once you call someone an adversary instead of a trading partner, you've opened a new door.

remember that china has been building products that american companies ordered.

america is not going to make factories building cheap stuff for walmart. let china do it and enjoy the low prices.

-4 ( +1 / -5 )

Trump isn't a serious person.

but he was elected president by the people. Again.

and will save TikTok for the youngsters, securing the youth vote.

-10 ( +1 / -11 )

Monday. Tick Tock.

-10 ( +1 / -11 )

Trump will kiss China’s rear end for as long as Musk tells him to. The era of American oligarchs is about to begin.

6 ( +8 / -2 )

"" Marco Rubio, Trump's nominee to be his secretary of state, has defined China as the gravest threat facing the U.S. and warned about the risks of possible military conflict between the two countries ""

Not A Very Good Choice There, SIR

-3 ( +1 / -4 )

Trump will kiss China’s rear end for as long as Musk tells him to. The era of American oligarchs is about to begin.

Musk has nothing to do with Trump, Trump was hostile with what China has been doing for decades. And nothing wrong with American billionaires, it’s important we have them.

-13 ( +0 / -13 )

TikTok was released in 2016.

4 ( +6 / -2 )

Likely, yes. Trump will think he is doing Xi a big favor and expect concessions from China. This will not work because TikTok is small potatoes in terms of the overall China/USA economic relationship. TikTok is doing just fine in other countries too.

Tiktok will stay in US

-7 ( +0 / -7 )

Trump will kiss China’s rear end for as long as Musk tells him to. The era of American oligarchs is about to begin.

Sorry, that is just not going to happen, and Xi knows this.

-6 ( +2 / -8 )

Let's hope this wasn't a conversation about the US abdicating its position in the Asia Pacific.

2 ( +5 / -3 )

Let's hope this wasn't a conversation about the US abdicating its position in the Asia Pacific.

I doubt Trump will abandon Taiwan

-6 ( +0 / -6 )

BurgerlandToday 11:16 am JST

Trump wants to look after US interests first and MAGA. Golden age of America, baby.

As usual we can take the words of the anti-American and assume the opposite is in America's interests.

3 ( +5 / -2 )

bass4funkToday 11:17 am JST

Let's hope this wasn't a conversation about the US abdicating its position in the Asia Pacific.

I doubt Trump will abandon Taiwan

You think he will abandon Ukraine and they are about equally as strategic.

2 ( +5 / -3 )

For all the bellicose rhetoric he used when talking about China while campaigning, I'm sure money will do all the talking from day one.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

Bullies like Trump would rather 'choose' to 'change their minds' abruptly BEFORE having to do something that makes them look foolish or impotent or both.

Politicians like Biden might 'choose' to 'evolve their positions' AFTER having done something that makes them look foolish or impotent or both.

Being the President who 'bans TikTok' only to see most Americans stay on the platform (the existing American 'influencers' will either find new sponsors and new ways to get compensated, or be replaced by other 'influences', and corporations will simply ask the people who's job is finding new and better ways to evade taxes to find ways to evade the ban) will make that President look weak or impotent or both

-1 ( +2 / -3 )

Not a single migrant will be deported on Monday.

But they will be, that is the main thing.

Hundreds of additional agents need to be employed and trained. 

Yes, that will happen.

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/ice-planning-increase-arrests-undocumented-immigrants-major-u-s-cities-after-trump-takes-office/

https://www.usajobs.gov/job/825175200

Everything is coming together.

Then migrants will need to be located.

That is not difficult the do.

Will all Latinos and Hispanics be stopped and asked for IDs?

Not just Latinos but others and it won't be hard to find, there are many ways to find out illegals.

-8 ( +1 / -9 )

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