President Donald Trump on Thursday said he has "no doubt" that Chinese President Xi Jinping could bring an end to the unrest in Hong Kong by meeting face to face with the protesters.

Trump said this in a tweet Thursday morning, less than a day after he first appeared to propose that a "personal meeting" between himself and Xi could bring a speedy end to "the Hong Kong problem."

Trump TWEET

All aspects of the U.S.-China relationship have come under intense scrutiny, as the escalating trade war between Beijing and Washington roils global markets and tensions ratchet up between mainland China and protesters in semiautonomous Hong Kong.

Trump has been criticized for taking an ambiguous stance on the Chinese government's action in Hong Kong, where hundreds of thousands of people have taken to the streets originally to protest a divisive extradition bill supported by Beijing.

Fights have erupted at the protests, and the threat of increased violence has hovered over the demonstrations, which included storming government buildings and occupying the city's airport.