U.S. and China Agree to Launch Second Round of Talks, Trump Might Grant China a 'Privilege'

TradingKey - On Thursday, June 5, Chinese President Xi Jinping and U.S. President Donald Trump held a phone conversation, breaking the recent stalemate following the May Geneva trade agreement between the two countries. 

Both sides agreed to resume the second round of trade negotiations, with Trump notably extending a welcome to Chinese students to study in the United States — marking a sharp contrast to his earlier stance restricting international student admissions at American universities.

This call was the first direct communication between the two leaders since Trump’s return to the White House in January. Trump had repeatedly sought dialogue with Xi to reach a consensus on trade issues. 

Although the Geneva agreement in May aimed to ease tensions, the U.S. subsequently imposed restrictions on chip exports and semiconductor software and revoked visas for some Chinese students, escalating frictions.

Trump described the call as “very good,” stating that all complex issues had been addressed and that the relationship and trade progress between the U.S. and China were moving smoothly.

 He emphasized the U.S. willingness to jointly implement the agreement and welcomed Chinese students to continue their studies in the U.S., signaling a notable policy shift given prior concerns about potential bans on international students at institutions like Harvard University.

In a related development, just the evening before the call, Trump signed an executive order restricting visas for international students at Harvard and suspending entry for foreign nationals enrolled or participating in exchange programs at the university. 

"Chinese students are coming, no problem," Trump said Thursday morning calling it an honor to have foreign students at places like Harvard, "but we want them to be checked."