"China Denies Phone Talks: Xi Jinping and Trump Not in Negotiations Again"

# China Denies Recent Phone Call Between Xi Jinping and Donald Trump Amid Tariff Dispute Chinese officials have refuted U.S. President Donald Trump’s claim that he recently spoke by phone with China’s President Xi Jinping, as the ongoing tariff negotiations between the two nations remain tense. According to a report from the *South China Morning Post* on the 28th, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang addressed the matter during a regular press briefing. Referring to Trump’s remarks, Geng stated, "To my knowledge, there have been no recent phone calls between the two leaders." Geng further emphasized, "I would like to reiterate that China and the United States have not engaged in consultations or negotiations regarding the tariff issue," effectively disputing Washington’s assertion that talks between the two nations were active. Trump made his comments on August 25, before boarding the Marine One helicopter at the White House in Washington D.C. When reporters asked if he had spoken with President Xi following the escalation of the tariff dispute, Trump responded, "I don’t want to specifically talk about that, but I’ve spoken to him multiple times." In a separate interview published the same day by *Time Magazine*, Trump indicated that while he would not initiate a call to Xi, he claimed, "Xi called. I don’t think that signals he’s weak." The contrasting narratives from Beijing and Washington underscore the deepening tensions between the two economic superpowers as they continue to grapple over trade disagreements. Both countries remain locked in a tit-for-tat tariff war, which shows no sign of resolution. Further developments are likely to hinge on whether formal negotiations are resumed.