The Treasury secretary said that the President Trump and Xi Jinping of China have a good relationship but that he was not aware of a call, which Mr. Trump had alluded to last week.

China’s role in global trade has shifted significantly. In recent years, on a regional basis, Southeast Asia has surpassed it to become the largest trading partner. This shift has implications for China’s economic strategies and its international relationships,

Chinese leader Xi Jinping has not spoken to US President Donald Trump on the phone recently, Beijing said Monday, reiterating that no talks are taking place between the two countries to resolve their tariff war.