BEIJING : President Trump held a lengthy,
“extremely cordial” telephone conversation with China’s President Xi Jinping
late on Thursday evening in Washington, and in a move set to ease tensions
between the two nations agreed to honor the one-China policy, the White House
said in a statement.
The one-China policy forms the bedrock of
U.S.-China diplomatic ties, established by President Richard Nixon and China’s
leader Mao Zedong. It rules out independence and diplomatic recognition for the
island of Taiwan. But Trump has publicly called U.S. adherence to this policy
into question, suggesting he would only commit to it once he evaluates China’s
progress in addressing trade and currency concerns.
In response, China insisted the policy was
highly sensitive and “nonnegotiable.” The United States maintains a military
relationship with Taiwan, which Beijing considers a province, but closed its
embassy there in 1979.The two leaders discussed numerous topics and President
Trump agreed, at the request of President Xi, to honor our ‘one China’ policy,”
the White House statement said.
Representatives from both countries will
engage in “discussions and negotiations on various issues of mutual interest,”
the statement said. “The phone call between President Trump and President Xi
was extremely cordial, and both leaders extended best wishes to the people of
each other’s countries,” it added.
“They also extended invitations to meet in
their respective countries. President Trump and President Xi look forward to
further talks with very successful outcomes.” The phone call came on the eve of
a formal summit between Trump and Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe set to take
place in Washington on Friday. Japan is a historic enemy of China and a key
modern-day strategic rival.
In December, following his election and
before his transition, Trump made waves with a protocol-breaking telephone call
with Taiwan’s leader, Tsai Ing-wen. It was the first communication between
leaders of the United States and Taiwan since 1979 and the product of months of
preparation by Trump’s advisers, who advocated for a new strategy of engagement
with Taiwan to rattle China.
As expected, China reacted sternly, but Trump
publicly questioned whether the one- China policy was in America’s best
interests. He fired off provocative tweets about the Chinese on currency
manipulation, imports from the United States and its military buildup in the
South China Sea.
Trump told the Wall Street Journal in a
January interview, shortly before his inauguration, that he was open to
shifting U.S. policy on China and Taiwan. “Everything is under negotiation,
including ‘One China,’ ” Trump told the newspaper. The phone call to Xi came a
day after Trump sent a letter wishing China a “prosperous Year of the Rooster” which
was sent 11 days after China celebrated its Lunar New Year festival.
The White House issued a statement saying
Trump had “provided a letter” to Xi on Wednesday, thanking the Chinese leader
for a congratulatory note he had sent on the U.S. president’s inauguration.
Trump wished the Chinese people a “happy
Lantern Festival and prosperous Year of the Rooster” and said “he looks forward
to working with President Xi to develop a constructive relationship that
benefits both the United States and China,” according to the statement.
China celebrated its Lunar New Year on Jan.
28, and the lack of a customary new year’s greeting from the U.S. president at
that time was noticed here. The Lantern Festival will be celebrated on
Saturday.
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