Chinese President Xi Jinping held separate phone calls with United States President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, discussing Iran and other major international issues, Chinese and US accounts said Wednesday.
The conversations came as Beijing works to strengthen ties with Moscow while managing persistent tensions with Washington over trade, Taiwan and global security.
What did Xi say to Trump?
Chinese state media reported Xi urged “mutual respect” in US‑China relations and expressed hope that disputes between the two largest economies could be resolved through incremental trust‑building. CCTV quoted Xi saying issues could be tackled “one by one” and that the aim should be for China and the United States to move toward “mutual respect, peaceful coexistence and win‑win cooperation.” Chinese accounts also said Xi warned Trump to proceed with “caution” on Taiwan, one of the most sensitive issues between Beijing and Washington where China opposes US arms sales and political backing for Taipei.
Trump described the discussion as “excellent” on his Truth Social platform, saying his personal relationship with Xi remained “extremely good.” According to the US side, the leaders talked about trade, Taiwan, Russia’s war in Ukraine and Iran. Xi framed 2026 as a year to stabilize bilateral ties.
What did Putin and Xi say?
In his separate call with Putin, Xi welcomed deeper cooperation with Moscow. The two leaders have presented their relationship as strengthening amid a turbulent global situation. European officials have urged China to distance itself from Russia, which seeks relief from Western sanctions, but Beijing and Moscow have emphasized mutual support.
Opening remarks broadcast by Russian state television quoted Putin as saying he wanted to “once again assure you of firm support for our shared efforts to ensure the sovereignty and security of our countries, our socio‑economic welfare and the right to choose our own development path.”
Edited by: Elizabeth Schumacher