Washington (TDI): US President Donald Trump will travel to China in May for talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping, following a delay caused by the ongoing Iran war.
The visit, originally scheduled for earlier, has been pushed to May 14–15, according to Trump, who said preparations are underway for what he described as a “historic” engagement. He also indicated that Xi is expected to make a reciprocal visit to Washington later this year.
The trip will mark Trump’s first visit to China in eight years and comes at a time of heightened geopolitical tensions, including the Middle East war and ongoing strains between the world’s two largest economies.
The long-planned trip had faced repeated disruptions. In February, a US Supreme Court ruling limiting presidential tariff powers weakened a key negotiating tool for Washington, while the escalation of the Iran conflict added further complications to US-China relations, particularly given China’s role as a major buyer of Iranian oil.
Trump last visited China in 2017. The upcoming meeting will be his first in-person engagement with Xi since their meeting in South Korea last year, where both sides agreed to a temporary easing of trade tensions.
The visit is expected to combine ceremonial engagements with substantive discussions on trade and strategic issues. Potential areas of cooperation may include agriculture and aviation, though deeper disputes, particularly over Taiwan, are likely to remain unresolved.
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Tensions over Taiwan have intensified during Trump’s second term, with increased US arms sales drawing strong objections from Beijing, which considers the island part of its territory.
The Iran war is also expected to feature in discussions. Trump has sought cooperation from major oil-consuming nations, including China, to counter Iran’s moves to restrict access to the Strait of Hormuz, a key global energy route. So far, Beijing has not publicly responded to those requests.
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White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said both leaders had agreed to reschedule the visit, adding that Xi understood Trump’s need to remain in Washington during ongoing military operations.
“We’ve always estimated approximately four to six weeks,” she said, referring to the expected timeline of the conflict.
The visit is being closely watched as a test of whether Washington and Beijing can stabilise ties amid overlapping global crises.
