Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga said he and U.S. President Donald Trump had held their first telephone conversation on Sunday since Suga took over as Japan’s new leader.

Axar.az reports that, Suga on Wednesday became Japan’s first new leader in nearly eight years, succeeding Shinzo Abe. Abe had forged close ties with Trump, playing golf together and engaging in frequent phone calls and meetings.

“I told him the Japan-U.S. alliance was the foundation of regional peace and stability,” Suga told reporters after the talks. “We agreed to coordinate closely.”

Suga faces a delicate balancing act in keeping Japan’s relations with the United States and China on track, as the two are locked in growing confrontation.

“The president also said he wanted me to call him at any time, 24 hours, if something ever happened,” Suga said.