U.S. President Donald Trump said he will discuss the Iran war issue during his meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping next week, in an effort to alleviate concerns over tensions sparked by the conflict.
When asked at the White House on Tuesday what outcome he hoped to achieve with Xi regarding the Iran issue, Trump said: "It will be one of the topics, but he has always been very friendly about it."
Trump also said that Xi has "always been very respectful to us," and claimed that China does not pose a challenge to the United States. "They have not challenged us, nor will they. I don't think he will do that—not solely because of me, but I think he has always been very respectful."
The heads of state of China and the United States are scheduled to hold talks in Beijing next Thursday (May 14) through Friday (May 15). The summit comes at a time when the Iran war has added uncertainty to the relationship between the world's two largest economies; the conflict once caused the meeting to be postponed and triggered volatility in financial markets.
A White House official revealed that Trump still plans to visit China as originally scheduled next week, and the date will not be changed again.
Currently, the Middle East conflict has largely disrupted energy shipments through the Strait of Hormuz, forcing major oil-importing nations—including China—to seek ways to manage supply risks. Meanwhile, the U.S. has imposed sanctions on Chinese refineries processing Iranian oil, aiming to increase pressure on Tehran and push for an agreement to end the war.
In addition, Trump previously hinted that China might be providing support to Iran, and said the U.S. had intercepted a "gift" shipment bound for Iran.