Xi says Taiwan’s 'return' to China key to global order in call with Trump

China claims Taiwan and won’t rule out force, but the island says only its people can decide their future.

Chinese President Xi Jinping told US President Donald Trump during a phone call on Monday that Taiwan's "return to China" is a key part of the post-war international order, state news agency Xinhua reported.

"China and the United States once fought side by side against fascism and militarism, and should now work together to safeguard the outcomes of World War Two," Xi was quoted as saying by Xinhua.

A White House official confirmed Trump and Xi had spoken by phone but gave no details.

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China regards Taiwan as part of its territory and has not ruled out the use of force to take control of it, though the island's government rejects Beijing's claim and says only Taiwan's people can decide their future.

China is locked in its biggest diplomatic crisis for years with Japan, after Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said this month a hypothetical Chinese attack on democratically governed Taiwan could trigger a military response from Tokyo.

Xi and Trump met in South Korea on October 30 following months of trade tensions triggered by Trump's tariff policies.

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China has since resumed purchases of U.S. soybeans and halted its expanded curbs on rare earths exports, while the US lowered tariffs on China by 10%.

Xi said that China-US ties have stabilised and improved since their meeting.

"The facts again show that cooperation benefits both sides while confrontation hurts both," he told Trump, urging the two countries to maintain positive momentum and expand cooperation.

The two leaders also discussed the war in Ukraine, with Xi reiterating that China supports all efforts conducive to peace while calling on all parties to narrow their differences.