On Thursday, Chinese President Xi Jinping sent President-elect Donald Trump a message congratulating him on his election victory.
According to the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs readout, Xi told Trump that “history tells us that both countries stand to gain from cooperation and lose from confrontation.” The Chinese leader added that a stable relationship also would meet “the expectations of the international community.”
CNN reported that Xi called Trump on Wednesday, citing two anonymous sources, but Foreign Policy was unable to confirm that a call took place. The Chinese Embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Trump’s presidency ended with a rocky year in U.S.-China relations in which his administration blamed China for unleashing COVID-19 on the world and stepped up ties with Taiwan. To read more about Trump’s stance on China going into his new term, see Foreign Policy’s guide to his agenda here.
This post is part of FP’s live coverage with global updates and analysis throughout the U.S. election. Follow along here.