Interviewed Jan. 6 by Hugh Hewitt, President-elect Donald Trump was asked if he would be able to “deal with” Chinese President Xi Jinping. Hewitt described Xi as Trump’s only real “rival.” “I believe we will,” Trump replied, reiterating (after a typical remark about how China needs us “very badly” because its economy is not doing very well) that he “had a great relationship [with Xi] until COVID. That was a bridge too far. But I had a great relationship with President Xi. It was, you know, very solid, very strong, very friendly. He’s a strong man, powerful man. You know, he’s certainly revered in China. But they are having problems, and I think we will probably get along very well, I predict.”
Trump added that “we’ve been talking through their representatives, and talking” about a sit-down meeting.
China confirmed that their representatives have been talking. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun told reporters the next day that Beijing “attaches importance” to Trump’s comments. “China and the U.S. have maintained communication through various means. China stands ready to work with the U.S. under the principles of mutual respect, peaceful coexistence and win-win cooperation to advance the stable, healthy and sustainable growth of China-U.S. relations for the benefit of the two countries and the world,” he added.
On Jan. 9, Trump told reporters that talks are underway also for a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin. “He wants to meet, and we are setting it up.… President Putin wants to meet. He has said that even publicly and we have to get that war over with. That’s a bloody mess.”
Asked about Trump’s remarks this morning, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that “there are still no specifics” on possible dates of contacts between the two Presidents, but the Kremlin is proceeding “from the mutual readiness for such meetings. Apparently, there will be some movements in this direction after Trump enters the Oval Office.” Chinese news agency Xinhua headlined Peskov’s statement that Putin is open to talks without any preconditions, quoting Peskov that “we are seeing that Trump has also expressed his readiness to solve problems through dialogue, and we welcome this.”
