After Trump’s Phone Call to Philippines Leader, China’s President Calls Himbr In what appears to be a remarkable deference to China by the Trump administration, no American Navy ship has gone within 12 milesbr of any disputed island in the South China Sea claimed by China since Mr. Trump took office, Defense Department officials say.br By JAVIER C. HERNÁNDEZMAY 3, 2017br BEIJING — President Xi Jinping of China spoke by phone on Wednesday with the president of the Philippines, Rodrigo Duterte, in what Chinese news media described as a friendly callbr that came just a few days after President Trump’s amicable conversation with the authoritarian Filipino leader.br The North Korea crisis has minimized or at least obscured trade disputesbr and other problems between the United States and China, including China’s territorial claims over most of the South China Sea.br The phone call between Mr. Xi and Mr. Duterte came against the backdrop of warming ties between Mr. Xibr and Mr. Trump, who is increasingly reliant on China to help contain the crisis over North Korea.br that Dialogue with China, Mr. Duterte, said,br But they also appeared to be a way of thanking the Philippines for not provokingbr China over disputed South China Sea islands claimed by both countries.