Trump and China’s Xi speak by phone as Supreme Court issues TikTok ruling

President-elect Donald Trump has spoken to China’s leader Xi Jinping for the first time since leaving the White House in 2021.

The Trump-Xi phone call came hours before the Supreme Court on Friday upheld a U.S. law that effectively bans TikTok starting Sunday. It also took place three days before the former president’s inauguration on January 20.

China’s Xinhua News Agency said the two leaders discussed issues ranging from Taiwan to trade, and exchanged views on the Russia-Ukraine crisis and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Trump wrote on his social media platform, Truth Social, that the call was “a very good one for both China and the U.S.A.”

“It is my expectation that we will solve many problems together, and starting immediately,” Trump wrote. “We discussed balancing Trade, Fentanyl, TikTok, and many other subjects. President Xi and I will do everything possible to make the World more peaceful and safe!”

On Thursday, China announced it will send Vice President Han Zheng to attend Trump’s inauguration next week, as Xi’s special representative. Beijing said it hopes the two sides can properly manage differences to promote healthy bilateral ties.