Trump’s comments came as top trade negotiators from both sides spoke over the phone Thursday.

On Wednesday, Trump said he was in “no rush” to complete a trade deal with Beijing and insisted that any deal include protection for intellectual property, a major sticking point between the two sides during months of negotiations. He told reporters at the White House that there was a good chance a deal would be made, in part because China wanted one after suffering from U.S. tariffs on its goods. But he acknowledged Xi may be wary of coming to a summit without an agreement in hand.