Xi pushes Taiwan issue in Trump call

Talks come in wake of Japan PM remark

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Chinese leader Xi Jinping pressed the ever-sensitive issue of Taiwan in a phone call on Monday with US President Donald Trump, as he stressed the need to build on a fragile trade truce between the two superpowers.

China's foreign ministry said yesterday the call touched on other issues, such as Ukraine, but Taiwan featured prominently, with China embroiled in a weeks-long diplomatic row with key US ally Japan over the self-governing island.

China claims Taiwan as part of its territory, and Mr Xi told Mr Trump that its return was an “integral part of the postwar international order” forged in the joint US-China fight against “fascism and militarism”, according to the department.

“Given what is going on, it is even more important for us to jointly safeguard the victory of WWII,” Mr Xi told Mr Trump.

The latest bitter dispute between Tokyo and Beijing was triggered by new Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi suggesting this month that Tokyo could intervene militarily in any attack on Taiwan.

While the United States does not officially recognise Taiwan's claim to statehood, Washington remains the island’s most important partner and arms supplier.