In brief
U.S. President Donald Trump announced plans to delay a crucial meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping from March to early May, citing the need to manage the ongoing war in Iran. Despite proposing the delay, Trump emphasized his strong relationship with Xi and downplayed any links between the meeting's rescheduling and ongoing tensions in the Strait of Hormuz. The decision comes amidst rising frictions between the U.S. and China, particularly regarding trade practices and global oil supply disruptions.
US President Donald Trump said on Monday that he is planning to delay a high-stakes visit to China later in March by about a month due to the ongoing Iran war.
We've requested that we delay it a month or so, he told reporters at the White House, emphasizing the importance of overseeing the war efforts. The meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping was originally slated for March 31 to April 2 following their last face-to-face talks in October.
Chinese foreign affairs spokesman Lin Jian confirmed that both Beijing and Washington are in discussions about the timing of Trump’s visit. China has also rejected associations between the meeting’s delay and issues surrounding the Strait of Hormuz, a significant shipping route for global energy.
Trump’s the remarks followed his previous statements to the Financial Times, where he indicated he might postpone the meeting if China did not assist in unblocking the Strait of Hormuz. However, he later clarified that his primary reason for delaying the visit was to remain present to manage the Iran conflict.
As tensions mount, Beijing is a significant buyer of Iranian energy and has expressed discontent with US and Israeli military actions in the region. Additionally, the US Treasury Secretary stated that the delay is not linked to requests on Gulf affairs or any current trade disagreements.
In light of these developments, the two nation's representatives have met in Paris to negotiate on various economic issues. Despite rising tensions, some consensus on certain topics has been reached, as reported by Chinese trade representative Li Chenggang.
