President Donald Trump and Xi Jinping held a broad phone call that both leaders framed as a sign of warming ties. They discussed Taiwan, Ukraine, Iran and trade, while a Brookings scholar said Washington is shifting toward a more transactional, trade-and-tech-focused approach. The scholar cautioned there may be no stable "floor" under US-China relations, and Xi vowed to steer the bilateral relationship "through winds and storms."
Trump and Xi Signal Thaw in Relations After Wide-Ranging Call
US President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping held a wide-ranging phone call on Wednesday that both sides presented as a sign of warming relations.
The leaders discussed Taiwan, Ukraine, Iran and trade, and the exchange suggested that lingering disagreements over several fraught geopolitical issues have not yet derailed the two powers' months-old trade truce.
Shift In U.S. Approach
A Brookings scholar observed that the call reflects a broader shift in Washington’s posture toward Beijing — moving away from framing the relationship as an all-encompassing great-power struggle and toward a more transactional model focused on trade and technology competition.
"There likely will not be a firm floor under the US-China relationship," the scholar wrote, noting that the relationship "rarely travels along a straight line for long."
Leaders' Remarks And Outlook
Xi said he hoped he and Trump could steer "the giant ship" of US-China relations "through winds and storms," a metaphor underscoring both leaders' interest in managing tensions while keeping lines of communication open. The call indicates an emphasis on pragmatic cooperation in areas of mutual concern, even as fundamental disagreements remain.
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