Chinese President Xi Jinping and US President Donald Trump held a phone call on September 19, described by both sides as candid, positive, and constructive. According to China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the two leaders provided “strategic guidance for the steady development of China-US relations,” signaling intent to stabilize a relationship often defined by tension.

Xi drew on history, noting that the two countries “were allies who fought shoulder to shoulder during WWII.” He recalled the recent commemoration in Beijing of the 80th anniversary of victory in the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, where families of the American Flying Tigers were honored. “Honoring fallen heroes and remembering history is essential for cherishing peace and creating a better future,” Xi said.

Looking ahead, Xi stressed that China and the United States are “fully capable of helping each other succeed and prospering together for the good of the two countries and the whole world.” He emphasized that mutual respect, peaceful coexistence, and win-win cooperation were achievable if both sides worked in the same direction. On trade, Xi warned against US unilateral restrictions, urging Washington to maintain outcomes achieved in prior consultations. On the TikTok issue, he reiterated Beijing’s position that negotiations should follow market rules and respect Chinese law, calling for “an open, fair and non-discriminatory environment for Chinese investors.”

Trump, for his part, praised China’s recent military parade as “phenomenal and beautiful.” He called the US-China relationship “the most important bilateral relationship” and said that by working together the two nations could achieve “many great things… good for peace and stability of the world.” Trump also backed a negotiated resolution on TikTok and voiced support for cooperation on economic and trade matters.

The exchange suggested both governments see value in reframing their fraught ties around shared economic and geopolitical interests, even as major differences persist.