Donald Trump says Xi Jinping called him, but China denies tariff talks are underway

US President Donald Trump says China’s President Xi Jinping called him and their two countries are negotiating a tariff deal, but Beijing refutes talks are ongoing. It came as China quietly exempted some US goods from its steep import levies in a sign that the trade war between the two countries could be easing. In a wide-ranging interview with Time Magazine, Mr Trump said it was his Chinese counterpart who had made contact. “He’s called. And I don’t think that’s a sign of weakness on his behalf,” he told the magazine. He said the US had made 200 tariff deals…