American and Chinese officials confirmed that Xi Jinping and President Trump held a rare phone call on Monday morning. The Wall Street Journal described the outreach as an “unusual diplomatic move,” noting that sources say Xi was the one who initiated the conversation.
Chinese state media reported that the discussion focused on Ukraine and Taiwan. Although China has supported Russia diplomatically and economically since the 2022 invasion of Ukraine, Beijing now appears interested in taking a more visible role in any potential peace process. According to those reports, Xi told President Trump that China supports “all efforts committed to peace” and hopes to see a “fair, lasting, and binding peace agreement” to resolve the conflict.
Yun Sun, director of the China program at the Stimson Center, told the Journal that Beijing is closely watching developments around a possible Ukraine peace deal and feels compelled to be more engaged.
At the same time, tensions over Taiwan were also addressed. China’s state news agency Xinhua, as cited by Reuters, reported that Xi emphasized Taiwan’s “return to China” as a key element of the post–World War II international order. Xinhua said Xi reminded Trump that China and the United States once fought together against fascism and militarism, and should again cooperate to safeguard the outcomes of World War II.
According to Xinhua, President Trump responded positively to the discussion, calling it a “very good call” and expressing hope for continued dialogue later in the year.