The Philippine Star

Trump breaks ice with Chinese leader

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BEIJING ( Reuters) — US President Donald Trump has broken the ice with Chinese President Xi Jinping in a letter that said he looked forward to working with him to develop relations, although the pair haven’t spoken directly since Trump took office.

The letter thanked Xi for his congratula­tory note on Trump’s inaugurati­on and wished the Chinese people a prosperous Lunar New Year of the Rooster, the White House said in a statement on Wednesday.

“President Trump stated that he looks forward to working with President Xi to develop a constructi­ve relationsh­ip that benefits both the United States and China,” it said.

China said yesterday it attached great importance to China-US ties after confirming it received the letter.

At a daily press briefing in Beijing, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang said China commended Trump for sending Lunar New Year greetings to the Chinese people and said cooperatio­n between the two countries was the only option.

Trump and Xi have yet to speak directly since Trump took office on Jan. 20, although they did talk soon after Trump won the US presidenti­al election in November.

Diplomatic sources in Beijing said China has been nervous about Xi being left humiliated in the event a call with Trump goes wrong and the details are leaked to the US media.

Last week, US ties with staunch ally Australia became strained after the Washington

Post published details about an acrimoniou­s phone call between Trump and Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull.

“That is the last thing China wants,” a source familiar with China’s thinking on relations with the US told Reuters. “It would be incredibly embarrassi­ng for President Xi and for Chinese people, who value the concept of face.”

A senior non-US Western diplomat said China was unlikely to be in a rush to set up such a call.

“These things need to happen in a very controlled environmen­t for China, and China can’t guarantee that with the unpredicta­ble Trump,” the diplomat said.

“Trump also seems too distracted with other issues at the moment to give too much attention to China.”

There are a number of contentiou­s areas where China fears Trump could go off script, the diplomat said, pointing in particular to the issue of selfruled Taiwan, as well as trade.

Trump upset China in December by taking a phone call from Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen. China considers Taiwan a wayward province with no right to formal diplomatic relations with any other country.

Trump has also threatened to slap tariffs on Chinese imports, accusing Beijing of devaluing its yuan currency and stealing US jobs.

In his Senate confirmati­on hearing, US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said China should not be allowed access to islands it has built in the disputed South China Sea. The White House also vowed to defend “internatio­nal territorie­s” in the strategic waterway.

China has repeatedly said it has smooth contacts with the Trump team. The Foreign Ministry in Beijing said last week the two countries were remaining “in close touch.” That contact has been led by China’s top diplomat, State Councillor Yang Jiechi, who outranks the foreign minister.

Yang told Michael Flynn, Trump’s National Security Advisor, last week that China hopes it can work with the United States to manage and control disputes and sensitive problems.

The source familiar with China’s thinking said Trump’s administra­tion was “very clear” about China’s position on Taiwan. Trump has yet to mention Taiwan since he took office.

Chinese state media has wondered whether Trump has a China policy at all.

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