Can a Xi-Trump phone call deliver an off-ramp from US-China tensions?

An expected phone call between Chinese President Xi Jinping and US President Donald Trump on Friday could pave the way for further engagement and progress towards a possible summit between the two leaders, according to a prominent Chinese academic.

“Tomorrow’s phone call will give a sense of direction – whether the [US-China] relationship is moving more quickly towards a summit,” said Wu Xinbo, dean of the Institute of International Studies and director at the Centre for American Studies at Fudan University in Shanghai.

“If that signal emerges, then over the next two months both sides will certainly step up consultations and negotiations across different fields, aiming to reach more agreements that can serve as deliverables for the summit,” said Wu, who is also a member of a policy advisory committee under China’s foreign ministry.

His remarks came a day before the anticipated phone call between Xi and Trump, which would be their first direct engagement since they spoke in June.

Trump said on Monday that he would speak with the Chinese leader this Friday. The announcement followed a framework deal reached between the two countries aimed at keeping the TikTok video streaming platform running in the US. The foreign ministry has not confirmed the phone call.

The Post reported this week that China and the US were in the “final stage” of negotiations for Trump’s state visit to China, after Beijing sent a formal state invitation to Trump in early this month.

  

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