【Xi-Trump Meeting】Trump Says "It's Possible to Postpone" Meeting with President Xi Jinping

Two weeks before the “Xi-Trump” summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping, Trump indicated that due to the Iran war issue, the visit to China might be “delayed,” urging Beijing to help resolve the blockage in the Strait of Hormuz.

It is unclear whether Trump proposed or delayed the visit because U.S. presidents typically avoid traveling during conflicts or if he was hinting at delaying the visit to pressure Beijing into sending warships.

Trump hopes China can help unblock the Strait of Hormuz before his trip to Beijing at the end of the month for a summit with Xi Jinping. He stated that China should provide assistance since the majority of China’s oil imports pass through the Strait of Hormuz. He implied that waiting until the summit in Beijing for a response might be too long.

Reports citing sources familiar with the matter revealed that China also expected the visit to proceed as scheduled last Friday. Experts in China believe Xi Jinping hopes the visit will go as planned, as a face-to-face meeting with Trump is crucial for maintaining stability in bilateral relations.

U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen met with Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng in Paris to finalize key details of the summit. According to reports, on the first day of the U.S.-China trade negotiations, Chinese negotiators showed openness to further purchasing American agricultural products such as poultry, beef, and non-soy crops. An insider said the talks were “candid and constructive,” and both sides discussed establishing formal mechanisms to manage U.S.-China trade and investment. It is expected that the two sides will hold another meeting on Monday to further discuss the proposed “Trade Committee” and “Investment Committee.”

The last Xi-Trump summit was on October 30 of last year, when the two met in Busan, South Korea, for about 1 hour and 40 minutes. Trump summarized the meeting as “a great success” and “a great honor,” praising Xi Jinping’s leadership. A spokesperson for the Commerce Department stated that the U.S. and China reached consensus on three major outcomes.