China's foreign ministry on Monday said President Xi Jinping had not spoken to Donald Trump recently, nor were their respective administrations trying to strike a tariff deal, contradicting the U.S. president's claim in an interview with Time magazine.

U.S. President Donald Trump on Friday said he had spoken with Chinese President Xi Jinping numerous times but did not say when the two leaders last talked or what topics they discussed. Asked whether he has spoken with Xi since enacting his tariff plan,

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent defended Trump’s negotiating strategy on trade deals but said he didn't know if Trump was speaking directly with Chinese President Xi.