ISTANBUL 

Beijing said on Tuesday that US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping are maintaining "close exchanges and communication."

"The head-of-state diplomacy plays an irreplaceable strategic guiding role in China-US relations," Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun told a regular news conference in Beijing.

The reaction came after Trump said on Monday that "at some point, probably during this year or shortly thereafter," he would visit China.

"We hope the US will work in the same direction with China and promote the steady, sound, and sustainable development of China-US relations," Guo said. 

"The heads of state of China and the US maintain close exchanges and communication,” said Guo, according to the Chinese state-run Global Times.

Guo also said that China would like to develop relations with the US under the principles of "mutual respect, peaceful coexistence, and willing cooperation" while firmly safeguarding "its own sovereignty, security, and development interests." 

He was reacting to comments that Washington, DC, holds more leverage over Beijing on trade than China has over the US.

Trump on Monday threatened to impose a 200% tariff “or something” on China if it does not supply the US with rare earth magnets, though he added that he believed “we’re not going to have a problem.”

The president said the US gained leverage over China on magnets while acknowledging Beijing still holds “some” power over Washington, DC. He added that the US holds “bigger and better cards” than China.

"We have made clear China's position on the tariff issue many times," Guo reacted to Trump's threats.