Xi told Trump US-China ties hit by 'negative factors': state media

[BEIJING] Chinese President Xi Jinping told US counterpart Donald Trump on Monday that bilateral relations were "affected by some negative factors", state media said following a series of US actions that angered Beijing.

Mr Xi said in a phone call that Sino-US relations "have achieved important results" since the two met at Mr Trump's Florida resort in April, according to broadcaster CCTV.

But Mr Xi was also quoted as saying, relations "have been affected by some negative factors".

Days after Mr Trump approved a US$1.3 billion US arms sales to Taiwan, Mr Xi said he hoped the US president will "properly handle" Taiwan-related issues in accordance with the "One China" principle regarding the self-governed island, which Beijing considers a breakaway province.

The White House earlier said Mr Trump and Mr Xi discussed efforts to denuclearise North Korea and improve US-Chinese trade relations, but the US statement did not mention Taiwan.

Relations between the two nations had been warmer since Mr Trump and Mr Xi met in April, but Washington has taken a series of actions that have infuriated Beijing in recent days.

The latest move to anger China came on Sunday, when the USS Stethem destroyer sailed less than 12 nautical miles from tiny Triton Island in the Paracel Islands archipelago, which is claimed by China as well as Taiwan and Vietnam, a US official told AFP.

AFP