Story highlights Trump threw China relations into doubt after phone call with Taiwanese president

Taiwan says it will maintain close contact with US

US-China relations have long been governed by "One China" policy

(CNN) US President Donald Trump and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping spoke by phone Thursday evening, the first conversation between the two since Trump took office.

In the call, the two leaders discussed "numerous topics," and Trump committed to honoring the "One China" policy at Xi's request, the White House said.

Since his election in November, President Trump has challenged Beijing over several issues and, most controversially, upended decades of diplomatic protocol by questioning longstanding American policy towards Taiwan.

China views Taiwan as a breakaway province and, since 1979, the US has acknowledged Beijing's claim that Taiwan is part of China, with US-China relations governed by the set of protocols known as the "One China" policy

Paul Haenle, director of the Carnegie-Tsinghua Center based in Beijing, said the call was a positive step that would allow the two countries to address challenges like North Korea and trade relations.