U.S. President-elect Donald Trump revealed on Monday that he and Chinese President Xi Jinping have been communicating through representatives, expressing optimism about their relationship once he takes office on January 20. In an interview with conservative talk show host Hugh Hewitt, Trump described Xi as a strong and powerful leader, highly respected in China, and expressed confidence that they would get along well. However, he emphasized that any relationship must be “a two-way street.”
Trump’s comments came as he highlighted the need for a more balanced economic relationship with China, accusing Beijing of having “ripped off” the U.S. economically. He has previously vowed to take a tough stance on trade with China, including imposing a 10% tariff on Chinese goods unless Beijing takes stronger action against the trafficking of fentanyl, a highly addictive drug that has been a growing concern in the U.S. Trump also threatened tariffs as high as 60% on Chinese imports during his campaign.
The President-elect extended an invitation to Xi and other foreign leaders to attend his inauguration later this month. However, experts speculate that Xi is unlikely to attend, given the political sensitivities surrounding the event.
Trump’s administration will feature a number of China hawks, including Senator Marco Rubio as his nominee for Secretary of State, signaling that U.S.-China relations may be characterized by a more confrontational approach in the coming years.