U.S. President Joe Biden plans to hold a phone call with his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping, once the legislature concludes its annual gathering and the government in Beijing returns to work, National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said.

"We have said that when the National People’s Congress comes to a close, as it now has, Chinese leadership returns to Beijing, and then all of these new officials take their new seats, because of course you now have a new set of figures in substantial leadership positions, we would expect President Biden and President Xi to have a conversation,” Sullivan told reporters Monday on Air Force One en route to San Diego.

Biden answered "yes” to a shouted question from a reporter Monday about whether he would speak with Xi soon.