In a significant diplomatic move, U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping recently connected via phone. Chinese state media reported on Friday, September 19, 2025, that the leaders were actively seeking an agreement to resolve the contentious issue of the video app TikTok’s presence in the United States, alongside efforts to ease escalating trade tensions between the two global powers.
The call, their first known interaction in three months, places the TikTok agreement and trade at the forefront of their agenda. This comes amidst ongoing discussions between the two governments regarding a potential face-to-face meeting between Trump and Xi. Such a summit could take place during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) meeting, scheduled for October 30-November 1 in South Korea.
While Chinese state broadcaster CCTV did not immediately release specific details of their conversation, the focus on TikTok highlights its critical role in the current U.S.-China standoff. Previously, President Trump had indicated that the U.S. had identified a potential buyer for TikTok, and broader discussions have also seen China urging the U.S. and Japan to reconsider the deployment of the Typhon missile system.
The White House has yet to issue an official comment on the recent call, leaving the specifics of the discussion and the path forward open to speculation.