Trump has postponed his visit to China due to the war in Iran
US President Donald Trump has announced that he will postpone a diplomatic trip to China that had been in the planning stages for several months. He has set a new date for the visit in approximately five or six weeks’ time, rather than at the end of this month. This was reported by The Public, citing APnews.
He made the remarks during a meeting in the Oval Office with Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin. According to Trump, he plans to “reschedule” the visit and meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
“We are working with China — they are happy with that. I am looking forward to meeting President Xi. I think he is looking forward to it too,” Trump said.
The trip is seen as an opportunity to strengthen the trade truce between the two countries, but it has been complicated by the situation surrounding the war in Iran. Trump called on China and other nations to send warships to ensure the security of the Strait of Hormuz, through which a significant portion of the world’s oil supplies passes.
The US President noted that he had also approached Japan, South Korea, the UK and France, but had not yet received any support. China has not expressed a clear position.
“We are strongly urging other countries whose economies are far more dependent on this strait than ours. We want them to help us with the strait,” Trump said.
On Sunday, he said that the decision regarding the trip would depend on Beijing’s stance. On Monday, he told journalists that he had asked to postpone the visit by about a month due to circumstances related to the war.
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, who met with Chinese Vice-Premier He Lifeng in Paris this week, noted that any changes to the schedule were due to logistical issues.
Trump describes the war as a joint operation between the US and Israel and is calling on other countries to join in ensuring the safety of shipping. Some world leaders have rejected this stance and expressed their disagreement with the military approach.
The visit to China is of significant geopolitical importance against the backdrop of the previous trade dispute between the countries. Last autumn, the parties agreed on a one-year trade truce.
China’s Foreign Minister previously stated that the country expects a “landmark year” in relations with the US and emphasised that Beijing’s position remains open.
Against the backdrop of the war, oil prices are rising, which is affecting the domestic political situation in the US ahead of the elections. Trump has also announced the lifting of sanctions on Russian oil and the use of strategic reserves.
