Taiwan says Xi-Trump call will 'stabilize' regional security

Taiwan welcomed on Thursday President Donald Trump's call with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping, saying it will help "stabilize" the region as China increases military pressure on the island. 

Taiwanese Deputy Foreign Minister Chen Ming-chi made the remarks in an exclusive interview with AFP, hours after Chinese state media reported that Xi had called for "mutual respect" in strengthening relations with Washington, while issuing a warning about selling weapons to Taiwan.

Trump, in a post on his Truth Social platform, described the conversation as "excellent" and said relations between Washington and Beijing were "extremely good".

"We don't worry too much about this whole telephone communication," Chen told AFP. 

"In fact, we believe that it will contribute to stabilize the situation, especially given the fact that China keeps on escalating the tension in the Taiwan Strait and this whole region," he said.

"I think we welcome the kind of effort to stabilize the... security situation in this region."