White House: Trump and Xi could talk this week

(Patria) - US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping will likely have a long-awaited phone call this week, the White House announced, as trade tensions between the world's two largest economies escalate again, AFP reported.

Trump reignited tensions with China last week when he accused Beijing of violating an agreement that led both countries to temporarily reduce huge mutual tariffs.

"The two leaders will likely talk this week," White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters outside the West Wing when asked if Trump and Xi would talk. Trump and Xi have still not had confirmed contact for more than five months since the Republican returned to power, despite the US president's frequent claims that a call is imminent.

Trump even said in an interview with Time magazine in April that Xi had called him, but Beijing insisted there had been no recent calls.

Trump introduced comprehensive global tariffs in early April that most targeted China, accusing other countries of "robbing" the United States and creating trade imbalances. Beijing and Washington agreed last month to reduce their staggering tariffs on each other for ninety days following talks between high-ranking officials in Geneva.

However, Trump and senior US officials accused China last week of violating the agreement, with Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick saying Beijing was "slow to implement" the agreement. Beijing on Monday rejected these "false" US claims and accused Washington of introducing "a series of discriminatory restrictive measures".