China on Monday officially announced that United States President Donald Trump will visit the country from May 13 to May 15, with discussions expected to focus on Iran and trade relations between both nations.
Relations between Washington and Beijing have remained tense over several major issues, including trade tariffs, the Middle East conflict, and Taiwan, which China considers part of its territory.
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Trump had initially planned to visit China in late March or early April but postponed the trip to concentrate on the conflict involving Iran.
In a statement, a spokesperson for China’s Foreign Ministry said the visit would take place at the invitation of Chinese President Xi Jinping.
According to US officials, Trump is expected to engage Xi on the Iran crisis while also seeking ways to reduce trade disputes between the two global powers.
China remains one of the major buyers of Iranian crude oil, largely through independent refineries often referred to as “teapot” refiners, which depend heavily on discounted oil supplies from Iran.
US Principal Deputy Press Secretary Anna Kelly described the trip as highly symbolic but stressed that the American president’s visit would also focus on securing beneficial agreements for the United States.
She said the American public should expect Trump to pursue deals that would advance US interests during the visit.
The White House also disclosed that Trump’s first trip to China during his second term would include elaborate ceremonies, such as a visit to Beijing’s Temple of Heaven and an official state banquet.
The upcoming trip marks the first visit by a sitting US president to China since 2017.
(AFP)
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