Trump-Xi meeting could be delayed, White House says

The White House said that US President Donald Trump’s planned meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping is not at risk, but may be postponed due to the US administration’s focus on the Iran war.

Trump will travel to China from March 31 to April 2 for a highly anticipated meeting between government leaders of the world’s two largest economies.

“I don’t think the meeting is in danger, but it’s quite possible the meeting will be postponed,” spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt told Fox News.

In an interview with the Financial Times on Sunday, Trump said China’s dependence on Middle Eastern oil meant it should help a new coalition he is trying to form to keep oil tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz after threats from Iran restricted global oil flows.

“We want to know” whether China will help, Trump said before the trip.

“We may be delayed,” he said in the interview.

China’s foreign ministry did not immediately respond to Reuters’ request for comment.

Leavitt said the White House will announce new dates soon if the trip is postponed.

“The President’s greatest responsibility right now as Commander in Chief is to ensure the continued success of Operation Epic Fury, as he does 24/7 here at the White House and here at home. So we look forward to announcing those dates very soon,” he said.

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said on Monday that any delay in Trump’s month-end visit to Beijing would not be due to disagreements over the Iran war or efforts to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

“If the meeting was rescheduled for any reason, it would be rescheduled for logistics reasons,” the secretary told CNBC.

“The President wants to stay in D.C. to coordinate the war, and traveling abroad at a time like this may not be optimal.”

with AP