The Chinese state news media, in its readout of the call, said Mr. Trump had “stressed
that he fully understood the great importance for the U. S. government to respect the One China policy,” and that “the U. S. government adheres to the One China policy.”
It also said the two leaders had agreed on the “necessity and urgency of strengthening cooperation between China and the United States” and noted
that Beijing wants to work with Washington on a range of issues, including the economy and trade, science, energy, communications and global stability.
Mr. Trump wrote that he wished “the Chinese people a happy Lantern Festival
and prosperous Year of the Rooster.” He also said he “looks forward to working with President Xi to develop a constructive relationship that benefits both the United States and China.”
“This letter means they’re looking for creative ways to stabilize this relationship when Trump
and Xi can’t talk due to differences over Taiwan policy,” said Evan S. Medeiros, who was senior director for Asia on the National Security Council under President Barack Obama.
WASHINGTON — President Trump told President Xi Jinping of China on Thursday evening
that the United States would honor the “One China” policy, reversing his earlier expressions of doubt about the longtime diplomatic understanding and removing a major source of tension between the United States and China since shortly after he was elected.
In a statement, the White House said Mr. Trump and Mr. Xi “discussed numerous topics,
and President Trump agreed, at the request of President Xi, to honor our One China policy.” It described the call as “extremely cordial” and said the leaders had invited each other to visit.
Mr. Xi, stung by Mr. Trump’s unorthodox telephone call with the president of Taiwan in December and his subsequent assertion
that the United States might no longer abide by the One China policy, had not spoken to Mr. Trump since Nov. 14, the week after he was elected.
