U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping spoke by phone on Thursday to address escalating trade disputes, China’s embassy in Washington confirmed.
The call, which China said was requested by Trump, comes as a fragile 90-day tariff rollback agreement faces renewed pressure from both sides.
Details of the conversation were not disclosed, and the White House has yet to comment. The call is the first confirmed high-level contact between the two leaders since the temporary trade truce was agreed on May 12.
The 90-day deal reduced a series of triple-digit tariffs, sparking optimism in financial markets. However, tensions have since resurfaced, particularly over China’s suspension of critical mineral exports and U.S. restrictions on semiconductor technologies and design tools.
Trump has accused Beijing of breaching the agreement, citing issues including export controls and political influence campaigns. In response, the U.S. administration doubled tariffs on Chinese steel and aluminum to 50%. China denied violating the truce and warned of possible countermeasures.
“The year-end holiday shopping season and global supply chains are at stake,” noted one trade analyst, as investors closely watch for signs of a durable resolution.
The phone call follows China’s traditional reluctance to arrange direct talks between top leaders without first resolving working-level disagreements. Still, Trump has emphasized his belief in leader-to-leader diplomacy to break deadlocks. While he has praised Xi’s leadership style, the broader U.S. stance identifies China as its top geopolitical and economic rival.
Trump and Xi last met in person at the G20 summit in Osaka in 2019. Xi’s most recent visit to the U.S. was in November 2023, during a summit with then-President Joe Biden, which resulted in agreements on military communication and fentanyl cooperation.
With key issues unresolved—including trade balances, Taiwan, and the role of state subsidies—Thursday’s call marks a high-stakes attempt to stabilize relations. Whether the contact leads to renewed negotiations or deepens the divide remains to be seen.
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Entry and exit across the state border between Azerbaijan and Iran for all types of cargo vehicles, including those in transit, will resume on 9 March, according to a statement by the Cabinet of Ministers of Azerbaijan.
Iran named Mojtaba Khamenei to succeed his father Ali Khamenei as supreme leader on Monday (9 March), signaling that hardliners remain firmly in charge, as the week-old U.S.-Israeli war with Iran pushed oil above $100 a barrel.
Global oil prices have surged past $110 a barrel this Monday as fresh U.S.-Israeli strikes hit multiple targets, including oil depots. Stock markets fell on fears the conflict with Iran could disrupt shipments through the Strait of Hormuz, raising concerns over global energy supply.
U.S. President Donald Trump warned Iran to expect further strikes on Saturday (7 March). In a post on social media, he said Iran would be 'hit very hard'. His comments came a week into the conflict with Iran, which has spread across the Middle East.
Trump says the United States "don’t need people that join wars after we’ve already won," targeting his criticism at UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer. Israel continues to fire missles at strategic sites in Iran and Gulf regions report more strikes from Iran.
Baku has completed its evacuation of staff from the Azerbaijan Consulate General in Tabriz, while most employees from the Azerbaijan Embassy in Tehran have also returned.
Tehran’s Mehrabad Airport came under attack in heavy airstrikes on early Saturday morning (7 March), Iranian news agencies reported.
U.S. President Donald Trump threatened further attacks on Iran on Saturday (7 March), while the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia continued to shoot down missiles in their airspace. Meanwhile, Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian said Tehran would stop attacking its neighbours.
Russian attacks on Ukraine’s second largest city in the early hours of Saturday (7 March) killed 10 people, including two children. Kharkiv mayor, Ihor Terekov, said 10 residents died after a Russian ballistic missile hit a five storey apartment block in the city.
Entry and exit across the state border between Azerbaijan and Iran for all types of cargo vehicles, including those in transit, will resume on 9 March, according to a statement by the Cabinet of Ministers of Azerbaijan.
Bahrain’s state-owned oil company Bapco has declared force majeure after an attack set the country’s only refinery ablaze. The firm says domestic supplies remain secure, but operations are disrupted by the ongoing Middle East conflict, underscoring regional energy risks.
Iran named Mojtaba Khamenei to succeed his father Ali Khamenei as supreme leader on Monday (9 March), signaling that hardliners remain firmly in charge, as the week-old U.S.-Israeli war with Iran pushed oil above $100 a barrel.
An Israeli air strike and tank shelling killed six Palestinians, including two girls, in Gaza City on Sunday (8 March) in two separate attacks, local health officials say.
Mojtaba Khamenei, son of the late Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, is a hardline cleric with strong backing from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. His rise signals continuity in Tehran's anti-Western policies.
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