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Former President Donald Trump has stated that he plans to go to the Chinese capital in spring and extended an invitation to Chinese President Xi Jinping for a diplomatic trip later next year, following a phone call between the two leaders.

Trump and Xi—who held talks about a month back in the Republic of Korea—discussed a range of issues including trade, the situation in Ukraine, the opioid crisis, and Taiwan, per the former president and Beijing's diplomatic corps.

"Our relationship with China is extremely strong!" Trump wrote in a social media update.

Official Chinese media issued a statement that noted both states should "continue advancing, proceed in the correct path on the basis of equality, respect and shared interests".

Prior Engagement and Commerce Progress

The officials met in the South Korean city of Busan in October, following which they agreed to a truce on tariffs. The US opted to slash a import tax by 50% intended to decrease the supply of fentanyl.

Trade taxes remain on imports and are around just below 50%.

"Since then, the bilateral relations has generally maintained a stable and upward path, and this is greeted positively by the each side and the wider global audience," the Chinese statement noted.

• The United States then retracted a threat of double tariffs on Chinese goods, while the Chinese government put off its scheme to introduce its new set of restrictions on rare earths.

Focus on Trade

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt commented that the Monday call with Xi—which took around 60 minutes—was mainly about commerce.

"The U.S. is happy with what we've observed from the Beijing, and they share that sentiment," she noted.

Wider Discussions

Besides discussing trade, Xi and Trump broached the issues of the conflict in Ukraine and the island.

Xi informed Trump that Taiwan's "integration into China" is essential for the Chinese outlook for the "world order following wars".

China has been engaged in a foreign policy clash with Tokyo, a American partner, over the longstanding "strategic ambiguity" on the authority of self-governed Taiwan.

Recently, Tokyo's head Sanae Takaichi commented that a potential military action by China on Taiwan could force a Japanese military response.

Trump, however, did not refer to the Taiwan issue in his online message about the conversation.

America's envoy to Tokyo, George Glass, noted before that the United States backs Tokyo in the wake of Beijing's "coercion".