Ahead of Trump-Xi call: US President says 'very close' to trade deal; claims 'relationship with China very good'

President Donald Trump said he will speak with Xi Jinping on Friday to push forward trade talks, despite recently accusing the Chinese President of trying to "conspire" against the United States."I'm speaking with President Xi, as you know, on Friday, having to do with TikTok, and also trade," Trump told Fox News on Thursday. "And we're very close to deals on all of it. And my relationship with China is very good," he added. The call will mark their second conversation since Trump’s return to the White House in January and the third this year.Earlier in June, Trump said Xi invited him to visit China, while he extended a reciprocal invitation for Xi to visit the US. No concrete travel plans have been announced, but analysts believe Xi could renew his offer, aware of Trump’s affinity for diplomatic spectacle.According to AFP, analysts expect both leaders to project strength. "Each leader will aim to signal that he has outmaneuvered the other," on trade, Ali Wyne of the International Crisis Group noted.Trump on TikTok said that he hoped to "finalise something" soon. He explained that the app's US business would be "owned by all American investors, and very rich people and companies."Trump credited TikTok with helping him connect with younger voters, saying it boosted his 2024 election victory.Trump has repeatedly delayed imposing a ban on TikTok, originally ordered under a law requiring Chinese parent ByteDance to divest its US operations on national security grounds. The Wall Street Journal reported a possible deal involving Oracle and investment funds Silver Lake and Andreessen Horowitz.The talks also come as Washington and Beijing seek common ground on tariffs. Earlier this year, both countries raised duties in a trade dispute that rattled global supply chains. A temporary tariff-reduction deal is set to expire in November, under which the US imposes 30% tariffs on Chinese imports, while Beijing retaliates with 10% duties on American goods.The call follows Xi's recent high-profile summit with Russia and India, which also later featured North Korean leader Kim Jong Un at a military parade in Beijing. "Please give my warmest regards to (Russian President) Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong Un as you conspire against the United States of America," Trump wrote to Xi on his Truth Social platform.Meanwhile, Trump has hit India with additional 25% tariffs for buying Russian oil and urged Europe to sanction China for similar purchases, claiming that if "they did that on China, the war (in Ukraine) would maybe end."