beijing/washington u.s. president donald trump break ice chinese president xi jinping letter say look forward work develop relations although pair speak directly since trump take office letter thank xi congratulatory note trump inauguration wish chinese people prosperous lunar new year rooster white house say statement wednesday president trump state look forward work president xi develop constructive relationship benefit unite state china say china say thursday attach great importance china-u.s. tie highly appreciate president trump holiday greet president xi jinping chinese people chinese foreign ministry spokesman lu kang say daily press brief ask whether snub trump hold call many world leaders president xi lu say kind remark meaningless reiterate china u.s. maintain close communication since trump take office cooperation correct choice china will work unite state adhere principles non-confrontation mutual respect mutual benefit promote cooperation control dispute healthy stable foundation promote great development china-u.s. tie lu say trump xi yet speak directly since trump take office jan. 20 although talk soon trump u.s. presidential election november diplomatic source beijing say china nervous xi leave humiliate event call trump go wrong detail leak u.s. media last week u.s. tie staunch ally australia become strain washington post publish detail acrimonious phone call trump prime minister malcolm turnbull nl4n1fn0jr last thing china want source familiar china think relations unite state tell reuters would incredibly embarrass president xi chinese people value concept face senior non-u.s. western diplomat say china unlikely rush set call things need happen control environment china china guarantee unpredictable trump diplomat say trump also seem distract issue moment give much attention china number contentious areas china fear trump could go script diplomat say point particular issue self-ruled taiwan well trade trump upset china december take phone call taiwan president tsai ing-wen china consider taiwan wayward province right formal diplomatic relations country trump also threaten slap tariff chinese import accuse beijing devalue yuan currency steal u.s. job senate confirmation hear u.s. secretary state rex tillerson say china allow access islands build dispute south china sea white house also vow defend international territories strategic waterway china repeatedly say smooth contact trump team foreign ministry beijing say last week two countries remain close touch contact lead china top diplomat state councillor yang jiechi outrank foreign minister yang tell michael flynn trump national security advisor last week china hop work unite state manage control dispute sensitive problems nl4n1fo364 source familiar china think say trump administration clear china position taiwan trump yet mention taiwan since take office chinese state media wonder whether trump china policy thursday widely read global time tabloid publish rule communist party official people daily note trump immediately confront china expect realize upset beijing would backfire badly probably realize real tough action china would result complex chain reaction even beyond control paper say editorial wang yiwei professor international relations beijing elite renmin university say letter suggest new u.s. administration want signal importance attach u.s.-china relationship without risk confront specific issue trump send many message make world confuse like south china sea one china policy make phone call president xi ask mean wang say want avoid send letter first step trump break ice china 's xi letter seek 'constructive tie