BEIJING—The letter wishing China a “prosperous year of the Rooster” came 11 days after China celebrated its Lunar New Year’s festival. President Trump has yet to speak to Xi Jinping since his inauguration, even though he has spoken directly or met at least 18 other world leaders. China’s Foreign Ministry said it “highly commends” Trump for the letter, but declined to comment on whether there were plans for a phone call. “High-level interactions between China and the United States play an irreplaceable role in developing the bilateral relationship,” spokesman Lu Kang told a regular news conference. “It’s a slow start on the China relationship, and that combined with some of President Trump’s statements since his election has made the Chinese uncomfortable.

Source: thestar February 09, 2017 18:29 UTC