Xi urges ‘mutual respect’ with Trump, praises strong ties with Putin
Chinese President Xi Jinping held separate calls Wednesday with U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, stressing the need for respectful relations with Washington while highlighting closer cooperation with Moscow on global issues including Iran.
Trump and Putin both played up their nations' good relations with China after their respective calls with Xi, highlighting the Asian giant's centrality on the global stage.
But there were stark differences in the readouts of the two calls, with Xi warning Trump to proceed with "caution" on the touchy issue of Taiwan, shortly after he and Putin hailed the strengthening of bilateral ties in the face of a "turbulent" global situation.
Trump said his conversation with Xi was "excellent".
