“I look forward to seeing President Xi,” Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One, as reported by Reuters. “I’ve always had a great relationship (with) President Xi of China.”
Also read: Xi welcomes stream of leaders shaken by Trump’s new world order
The US president said ties between the world’s two largest economies became strained during the COVID pandemic, but had improved significantly since. He added that China was now buying large quantities of U.S. soybeans, which was good for US farmers.
Chinese President Xi and US President Trump could meet up to four times this year, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent had said in an interview with Politico on Thursday, adding the US ties with China had reached a “very good equilibrium.”
“When the leaders are setting the tone for the overall relationship, if there are glitches, if there are hiccups, then they can jump on phone calls and de-escalate very quickly,” he told the news outlet.
US-TikTok Deal
Trump announced that a deal was finalised to restructure TikTok’s ownership, ensuring the platform remains active for its 200 million American users. He welcomed TikTok’s new American-owned joint venture and thanked Xi for approving the deal.
“I am so happy to have helped in saving TikTok!” he said in a post on Truth Social. “I would also like to thank President Xi, of China, for working with us and, ultimately, approving the Deal. He could have gone the other way, but didn’t, and is appreciated for his decision.”
He noted that the application “will now be owned by a group of Great American Patriots and Investors, the Biggest in the World, and will be an important Voice.”
“Along with other factors, it was responsible for my doing so well with the Youth Vote in the 2024 Presidential Election,” Trump stated. He also expressed a desire to be “remembered by those who use and love TikTok” and extended gratitude to US Vice President JD Vance and his administration for bringing the deal to a “final, and beautiful conclusion.”
(With inputs from agencies)
