Trump, Xi discuss TikTok, trade in call before inauguration

President-elect Trump said Friday he spoke with Chinese President Xi Jinping, with the two leaders discussing trade and the fate of the popular video-sharing app TikTok.

“The call was a very good one for both China and the U.S.A. It is my expectation that we will solve many problems together, and starting immediately,” Trump posted Friday on Truth Social.

“We discussed balancing Trade, Fentanyl, TikTok, and many other subjects,” he added. “President Xi and I will do everything possible to make the World more peaceful and safe!”

China’s Ambassador to the U.S., Xie Feng, said that the two leaders agreed to set up a “channel on strategic communication to keep in regular touch on major issues of shared interest.” 

“President Xi expressed his readiness to secure greater progress in China-US relations from a new starting point,” Xie wrote in a post on the social media site X. 

Trump had a frequently adversarial relationship with China during his first term, with the two sides engaging in tit-for-tat tariffs and with the president-elect raging against Beijing over the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic.

But he has in recent weeks signaled he may take a friendlier approach to the nation in his upcoming second term, even as he floats additional tariffs on Chinese goods.

Trump has referred to Xi as a friend and invited him to his inauguration; Beijing is sending its vice president instead. China typically sends an ambassador to the U.S. inauguration.

The president-elect has also expressed fondness for TikTok, the Chinese-owned app that Republicans had for years warned was a national security threat. Top Trump aides have signaled the incoming administration will take action to preserve the app for users in the United States, despite a looming ban.

The Supreme Court ruled Friday that the ban, set to go into effect Sunday would be upheld, but reports indicate President Biden will not enforce it on the final day.

— Updated at 3:12 p.m. EST