US President Donald Trump confirmed that he will not visit China later this month amid ongoing Iran conflict.
According to Al Jazeera, Trump has confirmed he is delaying plans to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping at the end of the month, as the US-Israeli war on Iran continues to consume most of Washington’s focus.
Trump told reporters at the White House on Tuesday, March 17, “We are resetting the meeting. We’re working with China. They were fine with it. Because of the war, I want to be here. I have to be here.”
Trump’s comments that he wants to remain in Washington come as the war against Iran extends into its third week and the Strait of Hormuz remains closed to almost all global shipping.
Trump was scheduled to visit Beijing from March 31 to April 2. The president said he now plans to visit in “about five weeks” or towards the end of April. His last state visit to China was in 2017, during his first term.
China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Tuesday that the US and China “remain in communication” about Trump’s plans to visit.
Trump and Xi were expected to discuss a range of issues, from trade tariffs and Chinese export controls on rare earth minerals and magnets, to the US relationship with Taiwan and Chinese fentanyl exports.
The US-China trade war was put on pause in October when Xi and Trump signed a truce following a meeting in South Korea, and both sides have been working on a more comprehensive trade agreement to resolve their dispute.
