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BEIJING, Jan. 19-- Commenting on the recent telephone conversation between Chinese President Xi Jinping and his U.S. counterpart Donald Trump, China watchers in the United States have said a good personal relationship and frequent exchange of ideas between the two leaders is important for China-U.S. relations. The phone call on Tuesday centered primarily on trade ties and the Korean Peninsula. Trump has often talked about his country's trade deficit with China. On the other hand, cooperation between Beijing and Washington is also regarded as vital to achieving denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. "I am glad that the two presidents maintain such a close rapport and speak frequently," said Sourabh Gupta, senior fellow at the Washington-based Institute for China-America Studies. While the close relationship "allowed for excellent management of the U.S.-China relationship in 2017," Gupta said personal ties would be even more important in 2018 since tensions over economic and trade issues could cause "an approaching storm" in bilateral relations. Zhu Zhiqun, professor of political science and international relations at Bucknell University, Pennsylvania, said the two presidents can find mutually acceptable solutions to controversial problems "in the spirit of mutual respect." "Through such conversations and dialogues, the two sides will have a better understanding of where their interests converge and where they diverge," Zhu said. | 
