President Xi Jinping urges U.S. to handle arms sales to Taiwan with prudence

The leaders of China and the United States discussed a wide range of topics including trade and energy during a phone call on Wednesday evening.

With both sides suggesting it was positive and friendly, the conversation entailed a warning from President Xi Jinping that Washington must handle the issue of arms sales to Taiwan with prudence.

Xi has expressed readiness to work with Donald Trump in the new year to steer the giant ship of Sino-US relations steadily forward.

Wednesday's phone call that lasted for approximately two hours was the first interaction between the two leaders since November and came ahead of Trump's planned visit to Beijing this April. Both of them affirmed their personal stakes in strong relations.

Xi said he and Trump have enjoyed sound communication and had a successful meeting in Busan, South Korea, charting the direction and course for their bilateral ties to which he attaches great importance.

Xi highlighted some of the key items on the two major countries' agendas for the new year -- China's 15th Five-Year Plan and the US's 250th anniversary of its independence -- saying he hopes they can accomplish more big things and good things together.

He said that differences with the US could be handled amicably on the basis of mutual respect while calling for the two sides to make progress step by step and make 2026 a year where they advance toward peaceful coexistence and win-win cooperation.

The Chinese leader also made clear the Taiwan question was front and centre.

He reportedly told Trump that it's the most important issue in Sino-US relations and that China will never allow Taiwan to be separated from the country.

"The US side must approach arms sale to Taiwan with great prudence," Xi urged.

Last December, the Trump administration announced the largest ever US weapons package for the island including 11.1 billion US dollars in weapons.

For his part, Trump said he understands how China feels about the Taiwan question, adding that he would like to see both sides to continue talking to each other and keep their relationship in good shape during his presidency.

Soybeans remains one of the economic flashpoints between two of the world's largest economies.

After the call, Trump suggested that China is considering increasing its purchase volume of US-farmed soybeans from 12 million tonnes to 20 million tonnes in the current season.

The Chinese readout of the meeting, however, made no mention of the soya beans.

Trump told reporters that he and Xi also talked about Iran, Russia's war in Ukraine, airplane engines and oil and gas.

Earlier on Wednesday, Russian President Vladimir Putin had a video call with Xi, in which he said they are prepared to continue the "closest possible coordination on global and regional issues" both bilaterally and multilaterally.

Putin has hailed the Russia-China cooperation in foreign policy as an important stabilising factor in "a context of increasing global turbulence."