President Donald Trump touted relations with China as “extremely strong” on Monday following a call with Chinese leader Xi Jinping, who told Trump that Taiwan’s “return to China” is a key part of Beijing’s vision for the world order, reports Reuters. The call, not previously flagged by either country, came weeks after the two leaders met in South Korea, where they agreed to a framework for a trade deal that has yet to be finalized.
China is locked in its biggest diplomatic crisis for years with US ally Japan. This month, Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said any Chinese attack on Taiwan could trigger a Japanese military response.
“China and the United States once fought side by side against fascism and militarism, and should now work together to safeguard the outcomes of World War Two,” Xi was quoted as saying by China’s official Xinhua news agency, adding that “Taiwan’s return to China is an integral part of the post-war international order.”