WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump said Thursday that he will visit China after receiving a formal invitation from Chinese President Xi Jinping during what he described as a “very good” phone conversation, raising fresh hopes that the two superpowers may finally move toward ending their protracted trade war.
The call, which lasted approximately 90 minutes, came amid renewed tensions over Trump’s imposition of steep tariffs on Chinese goods — levies that have roiled global markets and deepened concerns over economic decoupling. Posting on Truth Social, Trump said the conversation had a “very positive conclusion” for both countries and focused “almost entirely” on trade issues.
“During the conversation, President Xi graciously invited the First Lady and me to visit China, and I reciprocated,” Trump wrote. “As Presidents of two Great Nations, this is something that we both look forward to doing.”
Trump noted that topics such as Iran and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine were not addressed during the discussion. Instead, he emphasized the economic dimension of the talks, particularly issues surrounding rare earth materials, which have been at the center of disputes between the two nations.
“There should no longer be any questions respecting the complexity of Rare Earth products,” Trump stated, adding that bilateral trade teams will meet soon at a yet-to-be-disclosed location.
Representing the United States at the upcoming negotiations will be Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, and U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer.
China’s President Xi echoed the optimism, declaring that a “consensus has been reached” following the call. He stressed the importance of established trade consultation channels and said “dialogue and cooperation is the only right choice for China and the U.S.”
While specific agreements remain unconfirmed, both sides framed the call as a step toward stabilizing ties that have been strained by escalating trade penalties. Since the end of a short-lived tariff truce last month, U.S. duties on Chinese imports have stood at 30%, down from a prior high of 145%. In return, China reduced its tariffs on U.S. goods from 125% to 10%. However, Beijing this week accused Washington of “severely violating” the temporary truce.
Trump’s upcoming visit to China would be his second as president; his first occurred in 2017 during his initial term. Relations between Washington and Beijing soured significantly during the COVID-19 pandemic, with Trump frequently criticizing China’s handling of the virus and trade policy.
President Joe Biden, who served a single term between Trump’s presidencies, never visited China while in office, though he traveled there as vice president under Barack Obama.
Trump previously launched a full-scale trade war in 2018 during his first term by imposing sweeping tariffs on Chinese imports — a move that led to retaliatory measures from Beijing and years of economic confrontation.
The White House has not announced a date for Trump’s China visit.
