Chinese President Xi Jinping and U.S. President-elect Donald Trump held their first phone talks in four years Friday.
According to Trump, he spoke with Xi about TikTok, just hours before the Supreme upheld a law set to ban the social media platform in the United States in less than 48 hours.
Trump said on his Truth Social platform: “It is my expectation that we will solve many problems together, and starting immediately.”
“We discussed balancing Trade, Fentanyl, TikTok, and many other subjects. President Xi and I will do everything possible to make the World more peaceful and safe!”
Why It Matters
The call between Trump and Xi on Friday occurred just before the Supreme Court ruled unanimously on Friday to uphold a federal law banning TikTok unless its China-based parent company, ByteDance, sells the app by Sunday. The justices determined that the app’s ties to China pose significant national security risks, outweighing concerns about free speech for TikTok and its 170 million U.S. users.
A sale of TikTok does not appear imminent. While existing users will retain access to the app after the law takes effect on January 19, new downloads will be prohibited, and updates will cease to be available. The Justice Department noted in court filings that this will eventually render the app inoperable.
The decision marks a significant escalation in U.S. efforts to address security concerns tied to foreign-owned technology platforms.
The call also comes amid the Chinese government’s claims that it has been “forced” to develop nuclear weapons as a United States official issued a warning about China’s weapons of mass destruction program.
What to Know
State broadcaster China Central Television (CCTV) confirmed the conversation between Trump and Xi took place “on the evening of January 17,” though additional details about the discussion were not immediately provided.
During his first term, Trump took a hardline stance against China, launching a protracted trade war that imposed heavy tariffs on Chinese imports and reshaped economic relations between the world’s two largest economies.
Trump has threatened to slap tariffs of 60 percent on all Chinese imports into the U.S. But he has also in the past praised his relationship with Xi and has suggested China could help mediate international crises such as the war in Ukraine.
The phone call marks a notable moment of engagement between the two leaders.
Trump said in a December interview on Meet the Press that he had been communicating with Xi since he won the election. Trump in the interview said he has “a very good relationship” with China’s leader. He said they did had not discussed Taiwan but discussed other issues.
What People Are Saying
CCTV said in a statement: “We are ready to strengthen dialogue and communication with the new U.S. government, properly manage differences, expand mutually beneficial cooperation, and jointly promote the stable, healthy and sustainable development of China-U.S. relations.”
“China has always viewed and developed China-U.S. relations in accordance with the principles of mutual respect, peaceful coexistence and win-win cooperation.”
What Happens Next
Beijing announced earlier in the day that Xi would dispatch Vice President Han Zheng to represent China at Trump’s inauguration on Monday, January 20.
This is a developing news story and will be updated with additional information.
Update: 1/17/25, 11:03 a.m.: This article has been updated with additional information.
