Taiwan experts say the phone call between U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping is a positive step for future trade talks, though meaningful progress remains limited.
Since returning to the White House in January, Trump has pushed for measures like the Reciprocal Tariff policy, further escalating U.S.-China tensions. On June 5, however, he held a 90-minute phone call with Xi—the first direct conversation of his second term. Trump later described the exchange as productive, saying both sides had in-depth discussions on the complexity of trade agreements and achieved very positive results.
According to Chinese state broadcaster CCTV, Xi urged the U.S. to take a realistic view of the Geneva talks and revoke negative measures against China. He also warned Washington to handle the Taiwan issue cautiously to avoid being drawn into confrontation by a small group of pro-independence activists.
Research Center for Taiwan Economic Development Director Wu Dachrahn (吳大任) noted that stronger ties between the two leaders can help guide negotiating teams, but added that high-level calls rarely tackle detailed issues, limiting concrete outcomes.
Confederation of Asia-Pacific Chambers of Commerce and Industry Director-General Dr. Darson Chiu (邱達生) observed that the U.S. hopes to revive domestic manufacturing through tariffs, while China seeks to protect its economic stability and deter foreign interference in its Taiwan policy. He said that with such differing goals, the call may ease tensions but is unlikely to deliver significant breakthroughs.