Mr. Trump said in a post on Truth Social that his call with Xi Jinping, China’s top leader, had focused entirely on the trade relationship between the nations, which has soured in recent months in a dispute over the export of critical minerals used in an array of industries.

The way the Chinese work is that if our president talks to Xi Jinping, they will agree to general principles. Such as “Let’s try to resolve the tariff war. And let’s get Vice Premier He Lifeng to sit down again with Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent.”