White House spokesperson Leavitt announced on the 25th that President Trump will pay a state visit to China from May 14 to 15, during which he will meet with President Xi Jinping.
Trump had originally planned to visit Beijing at the end of March, but he publicly stated earlier that, due to the need to fully focus on the U.S. military's operations in Iran, he had proactively requested a postponement from the Chinese side. At the time, he described the need to "reschedule" the trip to cope with the rapidly changing situation in the Middle East.
With the White House announcing the latest dates, the visit to China has ultimately been postponed by about a month and a half. Leavitt added that Xi has also accepted an invitation and will visit Washington later this year, with the specific date to be announced after further coordination between China and the U.S.
● Middle East Situation Expected to Be Focus of Meeting
Diplomatic analysts pointed out that, as the Iran war has lasted for more than three weeks without signs of de-escalation, the Middle East situation is expected to be a focus of the "Xi-Trump meeting."
Currently, the U.S. is negotiating a "15-point ceasefire plan" with Tehran, and as Trump announced the date of his visit to China, the military is dispatching the 82nd Airborne Division and Marine Corps to the Middle East.
Leavitt stated that both leaders look forward to this face-to-face exchange. This visit will also be Trump's first trip to Beijing since returning to the White House.