Trump Told Advisers He Wants To Visit China As President

The Possibility Of A Visit To China Comes As Trump Has Threatened To Impose Stiff Tariffs On Chinese Imports

- Alex Leary, Alexander Ward & Lingling Wei

President-elect Donald Trump has told advisers he wants to travel to China after he takes office, according to people familiar with the discussions, seeking to deepen a relationship with Xi Jinping strained by the president-elect's threat to impose steeper tariffs on Chinese imports.

Trump visited Beijing in 2017, nearly a year into his first term. Aides cautioned that no decision has been made for him to go again. One of the people familiar with the discussions said Trump has expressed interest in traveling to China in his first 100 days in office. Trump's transition team didn't respond to a request for comment.

Trump and Xi spoke by phone on Friday for the first time since the November election, discussing trade, fentanyl, TikTok and other subjects. "It is my expectation that we will solve many problems together, and starting immediately," Trump wrote on social media after the call.

People close to Beijing's decision-making said Trump and Xi, through their representatives, have discussed meeting in person, with one option involving the incoming American president inviting the Chinese leader to the U.S.

It wasn't clear if Trump raised a visit to China in his Friday conversation with Xi.

Trump had invited Xi to his inauguration on Monday, but the Chinese leader is sending Vice President Han Zheng instead.

With economic pressure building in China, Beijing has a strong interest in engaging in negotiations to fend off, or at least slow down, tariff hikes promised by Trump. A summit between the two leaders, the people close to Beijing's decision-making said, could help jump-start the process. Trump has pledged to impose tariffs of up to 60% on imports from China.