Trump honors one-China policy in phone call with Xi

The United States government remains committed to the one-China policy, US President Donald Trump assured his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping in their first telephone call since Trump assumed office.

During the call on Friday, the two leaders also agreed to keep close contact and said they expected to meet each other at an early date, China Central Television reported.

After winning the election last year, Trump angered Beijing as he posted a tweet that seemed to question the one-China policy and he received a phone call from Taiwan leader Tsai Ing-wen.

After Trump took office on Jan 20, attention has been focused on the interaction between the leaders of the world's two largest economies.

In the call on Friday, Trump told Xi that he is fully aware of the great importance of the US government honoring the one-China policy.

Xi hailed Trump's assurance and said the policy forms the political bedrock for the China-US relationship.

"China is ready to work with the US to strengthen communication, expand cooperation, boost the healthy, steady development of China-US ties" to achieve greater results and benefit people of the two countries and the world, Xi said.

The White House said on Wednesday that Trump had written to Xi wishing the "Chinese people a happy Lantern Festival and a prosperous Year of the Rooster".

Trump also thanked Xi for a congratulatory letter on his election to the presidency and to express his hopes of developing "a constructive relationship that benefits both the United States and China".

The Lantern Festival, which falls on Saturday, is a festival celebrated on the 15th day of the first Lunar month, and many regard it as the final day of the annual Spring Festival.

When speaking to Trump on Friday, Xi congratulated Trump on assuming office as US president, and expressed appreciation for his festival greetings.

Xi spoke highly of Trump's readiness to expand two-way cooperation and develop a constructive bilateral relationship.

In return, Trump extended his appreciation and once again wished Xi and the Chinese people a happy festival.

On the two-way relationship, Xi said "the necessity and urgency is on the rise" for the two countries to reinforce cooperation, and they are fully capable of becoming a great partner for the other.

"Effectively tackling China-US ties serves the very interest of the two peoples and is an expected duty shouldered by China and the US, the two major countries, for the world," Xi said.

Beijing is willing to strengthen mutually beneficial cooperation with Washington in areas including economy and trade, investment, science and technology, energy, culture and infrastructure, Xi said.

Both countries are also hoped to strengthen communication and coordination in international and regional affairs to jointly champion world peace and stability, Xi added.

According to a media release by the White House, the phone call "was extremely cordial".