Jan.4--US President Donald Trump has reported "big progress" in trade talks with President Xi Jinping, who said talks had reached a "vital stage", reports Bloomberg.
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The two presidents spoke at length by telephone, with each expressing satisfaction with trade talks initiated after their meeting earlier this month in Argentina.
President Trump said in a tweet that negotiations were "moving along very well" toward a comprehensive deal, while Chinese state media said President Xi believed both sides wanted "stable progress".
The call - coming just three days before the 40th anniversary of the America's establishment of formal ties with China - underscored President Trump's efforts to challenge Beijing on trade.
President Xi said ties had reached a "vital stage" on the anniversary and the world expected the two sides to work together, according to the official Xinhua News Agency.
His remarks were followed up by a Chinese foreign ministry statement saying that the relationship had "traversed a tortuous journey" to the milestone and were "standing at a new historical starting point."