Trump and Xi Hold Phone Call Amid Ongoing Tariff Dispute

President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping engaged in a phone call on Thursday as tensions between the two nations persist. According to Chinese state media and the foreign ministry, the conversation took place at the request of the White House.

Details regarding the discussion have not yet been publicly shared. The Chinese foreign ministry confirmed that the call was still ongoing at 9 a.m.

ET on Thursday. Prior to the call, Trump expressed his frustrations about the state of negotiations on social media.

In a post made early Wednesday, he indicated both admiration for Xi and the challenges in reaching agreements, stating, “I like President Xi of China, always have, and always will, but he is VERY TOUGH, AND EXTREMELY HARD TO MAKE A DEAL WITH!” Following the news of the call, U.S. stocks experienced a slight increase during pre-market trading.

The ongoing trade war between the United States and China has been a prominent issue since the early days of Trump’s second administration. Both countries have engaged in a series of tariff exchanges, leading to increased duties on billions of dollars’ worth of goods.

Requests for comments from the White House and the Chinese embassy regarding the call have not received a reply. As relations between these superpowers continue to evolve, the outcomes of such discussions remain critical for global economic stability.