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President Donald Trump has stated that he will travel to Beijing in April and extended an invitation to Chinese President Xi Jinping for a diplomatic trip later next year, following a phone call between the two heads of state.

Trump and Xi—who met recently in South Korea—talked about a range of issues including commerce, the Ukraine conflict, synthetic drugs, and the island of Taiwan, according to the former president and Beijing's diplomatic corps.

"Bilateral relations is very robust!" Trump wrote in a social media update.

Beijing's press outlet issued a announcement that noted both nations should "maintain progress, progress in the right direction on the basis of equality, esteem and common gain".

Previous Meeting and Economic Agreements

The heads of state convened in Busan, South Korea in last October, following which they agreed to a truce on import duties. The United States chose to cut a import tax by 50% intended to decrease the flow of fentanyl.

Tariffs continue on imports and average nearly 50 percent.

"Afterwards, the China-US relationship has largely sustained a stable and upward path, and this is appreciated by the both nations and the broader international community," the Beijing's announcement said.

• The US then retracted a potential imposition of double tariffs on Chinese goods, while the Chinese government postponed its intention to enforce its latest round of rare earth export controls.

Focus on Trade

The administration's spokesperson Karoline Leavitt said that the Monday call with Xi—which went on for an hour—was mainly about commerce.

"We are pleased with what we've seen from the China, and they agree," she noted.

Additional Issues

In addition to addressing trade, Xi and Trump raised the subjects of the conflict in Ukraine and Taiwan.

Xi told Trump that the island's "integration into China" is critical for China's vision for the "world order following wars".

China has been part of a political dispute with Japan, a U.S. friend, over the longstanding "uncertain policy" on the sovereignty of self-governed Taiwan.

In the past few weeks, Japan's leader Sanae Takaichi stated that an eventual assault from Beijing on Taiwan could force a response from Japan's forces.

Trump, however, did not mention the island in his online message about the call.

America's envoy to Tokyo, George Glass, had earlier stated that the U.S. government stands with Tokyo in the wake of China's "pressure".