Xi and Trump talk by phone, Chinese state media report

BEIJING (Reuters): Chinese President Xi Jinping spoke with U.S. President Donald Trump by phone on Wednesday, state broadcaster CCTV reported, ahead of an expected visit by Trump to China in April.

The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Chinese state media did not provide further details on the call.

The two leaders last spoke by phone in late November, after which Trump touted “extremely strong” relations with China.

The call with Trump also came hours after Xi spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin via video link. The Kremlin said Putin accepted an invitation from Xi to visit China in the first half of this year.

Following months of trade tensions triggered by Trump’s tariffs last year, relations between Washington and Beijing stabilised after a meeting between the leaders in October in South Korea, where a fragile trade truce was struck.