Trump says he spoke with Xi since inauguration, unclear when
Published in Political News
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump said he has spoken with Chinese President Xi Jinping since his Jan. 20 inauguration, amid a brewing trade war between the two nations.
“Yeah, I’ve talked to him, and I talked to his people, too,” Trump told Fox News’ Bret Baier in an interview taped last week that aired on Monday. “His people come in all the time. We have a very good personal relationship.”
Trump didn’t specify when the conversation took place. The White House didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.
The U.S. and Chinese presidents spoke on Jan. 17, days before Trump’s inauguration, when the pair discussed trade, TikTok and fentanyl, in addition to Ukraine and Israel’s war with Hamas.
Since his inauguration, Trump has threatened — and then followed through — with a pledge to impose 10% tariffs on all imports from China. Trump also signed an order Monday imposing global tariffs of 25% on all steel and aluminum imports.
In response to the 10% tariffs, China responded with a range of import duties U.S. goods, including 15% border tax on imports of coal and liquefied natural gas. Beijing also imposed a 10% duty on crude oil, agricultural machinery and large-engine cars. Those levies went into effect on Monday.
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