Incoming US president discusses fentanyl crisis, TikTok with China's Xi Jinping

Chinese President Xi Jinping has held a phone call with the incoming US President Donald Trump on January 17, an important gesture in the midst of historic tense relations between the two superpowers. 

Trump has spoken of the conversation on his personal social media platform, Truth Social, as Caliber.Az reports, describing the call as “very good”. 

“I just spoke to Chairman Xi Jinping of China. [...] It is my expectation that we will solve many problems together, and starting immediately,” he wrote, being only days away from returning to the White House for a second time.

According to Trump, the pair discussed issues relating to trade, the US health crisis caused by fentanyl abuse, the potential removal of TikTok from American platforms and other subjects. 

While the Chinese media first reported on the call without providing any further details, the incoming US president said he and President Xi agreed to "do everything possible to make the world more peaceful and safe."

The talks come amid news emerging that Chinese leader Xi would not attend the January 20 inauguration of President Trump but instead be represented by Vice President Han Zheng. 

By Nazrin Sadigova