David M Jackson

USA TODAY

NEW YORK — President-elect Donald Trump has touched base with one of the countries he criticized the most during his presidential campaign: China.

Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping spoke by phone on Sunday and agreed to meet "at any early date," according to statements from both camps.

"During the call, the leaders established a clear sense of mutual respect for one another, and President-elect Trump stated that he believes the two leaders will have one of the strongest relationships for both countries moving forward," said a statement from the Trump transition team. .

During the campaign, Trump criticized China's trade practices, and said its entry into the World Trade Organization helped lead to the "theft" of U.S. industrial jobs.

None of that rancor surfaced in statements made by each aide after the Trump-Xi call.

CCTV, the Chinese state broadcaster, said that Xi and Trump “vowed to keep close contact, build good working relations, and meet at an early date to exchange views on issues of mutual interest and the development of bilateral ties."

The Chinese news outlet quoted Xi as saying: "The facts prove that cooperation is the only correct choice for China and the United States."