Summary
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China Explicitly Denies Trump’s Claim: The Chinese government officially refuted President Trump’s assertion that President Xi Jinping had recently called him, stating unequivocally that no such conversation occurred and labeling the claim false.
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Trump Maintains Claim Without Evidence: Despite China‘s denial, Trump reiterated that Xi had called but failed to provide any specifics (timing, content) and evaded direct confirmation, while his own Treasury Secretary admitted unawareness of any recent call.
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Ongoing Trade Tensions Persist: This dispute highlights the continued deadlock and lack of confirmed high-level communication between the US and China regarding their trade war, despite ongoing high tariffs and retaliatory measures.
China’s government issued a firm denial on Monday regarding any recent phone conversation between President Xi Jinping and President Donald Trump.
This official statement dismisses the possibility, once again raised by Trump, that the two leaders were engaged in private discussions to resolve their escalating trade conflict.
Forceful Denial from Beijing
The clarification came during a routine press conference in Beijing, directly challenging President Trump’s account given in a Time magazine interview the previous week, where he suggested Xi had personally called him.
Officials from the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs asserted that no calls, trade negotiations, or backchannel arrangements have taken place concerning the tariff situation between the world’s two largest economies.
Guo Jiakun, the spokesperson for China’s Foreign Ministry, explicitly stated to reporters, “To my knowledge, the two heads of state have not held a phone call recently.”
He further emphasized the point, declaring, “I wish to stress again that regarding the tariff issue, China and the United States are not currently holding consultations or negotiations. These are lies.”
The statement represented an unambiguous rejection of Trump’s narrative.
Trump’s Unsubstantiated Claim and Evasion
Despite this direct rebuttal from Chinese authorities, President Trump persisted with his version of events.
In the Time interview, he had attempted to soften the impact of his administration’s high tariffs, suggesting they could “come down substantially” and portraying himself as open to negotiation should Xi engage. “He’s called.
And I don’t think that’s a sign of weakness on his behalf,” Trump stated, without providing any details about the alleged conversation’s substance, timing, or why it remained unannounced through official channels.
Later, Trump avoided confirming the call when CNN’s Alayna Treene questioned him on Friday as he departed the White House.
“I don’t want to comment on that, but I’ve spoken to him many times,” he responded, offering only vague reassurance rather than substantiating the specific claim of a recent discussion.
Public records confirm the last acknowledged phone call between Trump and Xi occurred on January 17, months earlier, prior to Trump’s second-term inauguration.
Escalating Trade Tensions and Prior Warnings
This dispute unfolds against a backdrop of heightened trade friction.
China had previously warned the US against misrepresenting the status of trade talks.
Hours before the Time interview was published, the Chinese Foreign Ministry released a statement advising the United States not to “mislead the public” about ongoing discussions.
Since returning to office, the Trump administration imposed tariffs reaching 145% on numerous Chinese imports, albeit with exemptions for consumer electronics like smartphones and computers, dubbing the move “reciprocal.” I
n response, China implemented retaliatory tariffs of up to 125% on American goods.
Analysts noted quiet adjustments by Beijing, such as reduced tariffs on certain US-manufactured semiconductors, potentially aimed at supporting its domestic tech industry while still applying economic pressure on the US.
Contrasting Narratives and Continued Deadlock
Ultimately, a significant divergence exists between President Trump’s narrative of receptive backchannel communication initiated by President Xi and the explicit denials from Beijing, alongside a lack of confirmation from his administration officials.
The current evidence suggests an absence of recent high-level talks and an ongoing stalemate in the trade conflict, rather than progress towards resolution via secret phone calls.
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