Trump seeks to delay meeting with China’s Xi
US President Donald Trump is trying to postpone his highly anticipated trip to China in early April by about a month due to the Iran war.
“We requested that we delay this for about a month,” Trump told reporters at the White House on Monday.
China’s embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Trump’s request to postpone his planned March 31-April 2 trip to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping underscores how the Iran war has upended Trump’s foreign policy agenda.
This also risks increasing tensions between Washington and Beijing, as the Middle East crisis brings together trade and Taiwan among the issues that divide the world’s two largest economies.
Iran responded to the joint US-Israeli attacks by threatening to open fire on ships passing through the strait, where its own ships continued to pass at near normal speeds.
Trump called on many countries, including China, to help ships safely pass through the Strait of Hormuz, through which one-fifth of the world’s oil passes daily.
Trump’s request for aid so far has been largely rejected. China, which imports approximately 12 million barrels of oil per day (the bulk of the world) in the first two months of 2026, has not responded directly to this demand.
“The President looks forward to visiting China,” spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt told reporters.
“Dates are subject to change. As Commander in Chief, ensuring the continued success of this operation is his number one priority at this time, Epic Fury. Therefore, we will inform you of the dates as soon as possible.”
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