Chinese President Xi Jinping held a phone call with U.S. President Donald Trump on February 5. Xi expressed readiness to work with Trump to steer China-U.S. relations steadily forward and stressed that the Taiwan issue is the most important in bilateral ties. Trump described the call as excellent and said he understands China's position on Taiwan.
Chinese President Xi Jinping spoke by phone with U.S. President Donald Trump on February 5, 2026, marking their first interaction of the year. Xi said he stands ready to continue working with Trump to guide the "giant ship" of China-U.S. ties through wind and waves for a steady voyage in the new year, and to accomplish more big and good things together.
Xi noted that over the past year, the two leaders held four phone calls, exchanged multiple messages, and met successfully in Busan, South Korea, in October, charting the direction for bilateral relations. This year, both nations face key agendas: China enters the first year of its 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-2030), while the U.S. marks its 250th anniversary of founding. China will host the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Economic Leaders' Meeting, and the U.S. the Group of 20 (G20) Summit.
Xi urged the sides to act on common understandings, strengthen dialogue and communication, properly manage differences, and expand practical cooperation. Citing a Chinese adage, "an act of kindness, no matter how trivial, is worth performing, while an act of evil, no matter how small, must be shunned," he called for step-by-step progress to build mutual trust and find the right way to get along, making 2026 a year of mutual respect, peaceful coexistence, and win-win cooperation between the two major countries.
On Taiwan, Xi told Trump it is the most important issue in China-U.S. relations. The Taiwan region is part of China's territory, and China must safeguard its sovereignty and territorial integrity, never allowing separation. He urged the U.S. to handle arms sales to Taiwan with utmost prudence.
Trump posted on social media that he had "just completed an excellent telephone conversation with President Xi of China. It was a long and thorough call," discussing many important subjects. He said the U.S. and China are great countries, and the U.S.-China relationship is the world's most important. Trump noted his great relationship with Xi and much respect for him; under their guidance, progress is being made in economy and trade. He wants China to succeed and the U.S. to work with China for more bilateral progress. Trump understands China's feelings on Taiwan and hopes both sides continue talking to keep relations good during his presidency.
The leaders also discussed Russia's war in Ukraine, the situation in Iran, and China's purchases of U.S. oil and gas. Trump mentioned Beijing is considering buying 20 million tonnes of U.S. soybeans, up from 12 million. In December, the U.S. announced an $11 billion arms sale to Taiwan, including advanced rocket launchers and missiles, which Beijing criticized as accelerating tensions across the Taiwan Strait.
The call follows recent visits by Western leaders to China, with Trump due to visit in April.
