(Tribune News Service) — China extended its congratulations to Donald Trump for his victory in the U.S. election, while the president-elect reportedly spoke on the phone with Chinese leader Xi Jinping.

A Foreign Ministry spokesperson commended the Republican on his win over Kamala Harris, according to a statement late Wednesday night. “We respect the choice of the American people and congratulate Mr. Trump on being elected as president of the United States,” the spokesperson said.

CNN has reported that Xi and Trump held a phone call on Wednesday in which the Chinese leader also congratulated the president-elect, citing people it didn’t identify.

Beijing typically congratulates the winner of U.S. presidential elections promptly, except when President Joe Biden won the 2020 vote. China was one of the few countries that withheld comment for days, as Trump contested the results.

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Trump kicked off a trade war with China in 2018 and has threatened to hit Chinese shipments with 60% levies once he returns to office, a move that would damage trade between the world’s two biggest economies and hammer China’s economy.

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