Trump to visit Beijing in May to meet Xi amid Iran war
Trump to visit Beijing in May to meet Xi amid Iran war
Trump confirms a May trip to Beijing to meet Xi Jinping, with a reciprocal Washington visit planned later, as U.S.-China ties navigate Iran's war, Taiwan tensions and trade.
Donald Trump has announced that his planned trip to Beijing will take place on 14 and 15 May for talks with Xi Jinping, the first such in-person encounter between a US president and a Chinese leader since 2017. The visit, delayed by the Iran war, marks a milestone in Washington's effort to reset tensions with Beijing.
Trump said on Truth Social that he will host Xi in Washington later this year for a reciprocal trip.
Beijing typically reveals Xi's schedule only days in advance. The May trip comes as Washington tries to calibrate its Asia-Pacific strategy amid a trade truce and new tensions.
The broader backdrop includes a February ruling by the US Supreme Court that curbed the president's power to impose tariffs, and the February joint military operation with Israel against Iran that added pressure on Beijing.
Trump's last China visit was in 2017, and the May talks will be the first face-to-face discussions since a South Korea meeting in October where a trade truce was agreed.
On the agenda are possible goodwill deals on agriculture and airplane parts, but Taiwan is expected to loom large, with Washington recently increasing arms sales to Taipei.
The trip blends pomp with diplomacy, signaling Washington's intent to rebuild ties with its biggest trading partner while navigating deep-seated disagreements.
