2nd LD,Writethru: Xi, Trump discuss ties, Korean Peninsula situation over phone

Chinese President Xi Jinping and his U.S. counterpart Donald Trump on Monday discussed bilateral ties and the situation on the Korean Peninsula on phone, pledging close contact by various means to promptly exchange views on major issues of common concern.

China strongly opposes any act that violates resolutions of the United Nations Security Council, Xi said, and hopes that the parties concerned will exercise restraint and refrain from taking any action that will aggravate tensions on the Peninsula.

Xi noted that only when the parties concerned shoulder their due responsibilities and meet each other halfway, can they solve the nuclear issue of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea and denuclearize the Korean Peninsula as soon as possible.

He said China is willing to work and make every effort with all parties concerned including the United States to realize peace on the Korean Peninsula and in Northeast Asia and the world at large.

The Chinese president recalled that he reached important consensus with Trump during a meeting at the latter's Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida earlier this month, and that they had very good communication recently, which has won positive evaluation by the Chinese and American peoples and the rest of the international community.

With a rapid change of the international situation, it is quite necessary for China and the United States to keep close contact and to exchange views on important issues in a timely manner, said Xi.

He stressed that China and the United States should implement the consensus reached between them and consolidate the momentum of steady development of bilateral relations.

Xi also urged the working teams of China and the United States to strengthen coordination on a good preparation for Trump's visit to China later this year and for the early opening of a four-pronged bilateral dialogue mechanism.

The establishment of the four-pronged dialogue mechanism, which covers the fields of foreign affairs and security, economy, law enforcement and cybersecurity, social and people-to-people exchanges, is an important result of Xi's meeting with Trump in Florida.

He also urged the two sides to promote economic and trade cooperation, expand exchanges in military, law enforcement, cyber and people-to-people areas, enhance communication on major global and regional issues and promote China-U.S. relations toward continued achievement of new development.

In the phone call, Trump said he had a very good meeting with President Xi at Mar-a-Lago, noting that he is also satisfied with the development of the two countries' relations, and that he is respectful to the Chinese people.

Trump said that it is very important for the United States and China to keep close contact and maintain coordination on major issues.

The U.S. president expected to meet Xi again at an early date, and looked forward to paying a state visit to China. Endi