Trump-Xi Summit on Course Amid China’s Iran Concerns
President Donald Trump is moving forward with plans to hold a summit with counterpart Xi Jinping next week in Beijing, despite concerns among Chinese officials regarding the timing of this high-stakes meeting before the resolution of the war in Iran. The leaders are scheduled to convene on May 14-15. Their summit has already faced a rescheduling, prompted by the war, which has ignited a global energy crisis and limited supplies to importers of Middle East crude, including China. According to individuals familiar with the situation, Xi’s government continues to exercise caution regarding the timing of the visit until the US-Iran conflict is resolved. However, China has not made any public calls for a delay. According to a White House official who requested anonymity to discuss plans for the trip, there have been no scheduling changes. The official stated that Trump is eager to meet Xi but refrained from providing further details regarding the visit. “We’re going to have a meeting with President Xi. It’s going to be, I think, quite amazing,” Trump told. “He’s been a friend of mine. Over the years, I have maintained a very good relationship with him. We have encountered no issues. We’ve had no problem with China and Iran.”
The conflict in Iran has now extended into its third month, existing under a tenuous ceasefire. On Thursday, US Central Command reported that American forces took action in response to Iranian attacks on Navy destroyers navigating the Strait of Hormuz. It stated that it “does not seek escalation but remains positioned and ready to protect American forces.” Commercial ships have shown reluctance to venture into the crucial waterway, where they may encounter attacks or sea mines. The US blockade of Iranian ships outside the strait persists, impacting Chinese fuel shipments, among others. The standoff poses a significant threat of extended fuel shortages if it persists for an extended period. “China and the United States are maintaining communication regarding President Trump’s visit to China,” stated Liu Pengyu. All public signals indicate that preparations are actively underway on the ground in Beijing, including a congressional delegation visit intended to facilitate Trump’s arrival.
Nevertheless, uncertainty has cast a shadow over the planning. According to some sources, Chinese officials communicated to their European counterparts a desire for the blockade to be lifted prior to the trip. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi urged for the prompt reopening of the strait this week during his meeting with Iranian counterpart Abbas Araghchi, marking their first discussion since the onset of the war. Hormuz continues to be largely closed, despite a reduction in armed hostilities between the US and Iran during a one-month ceasefire. The Trump administration has maintained that its offensive military attacks have concluded, at least for the time being. “Operation Epic Fury is concluded,” stated US Secretary of State Marco Rubio this week. “We achieved the objectives of that operation. I’m not going to say that we’re hoping for another situation to arise. We would prefer the path of peace.” According to the sources, both European and Chinese officials perceive minimal prospects for an agreement with Iran while the US continues to obstruct Iranian shipping. However, Trump views the blockade as a crucial tool to compel Tehran to completely open the strait.
Some individuals expressed their hope that pressure from Beijing would influence Trump’s conviction that the blockade could drive Tehran toward an agreement. The outcome of that remains uncertain. The ceasefire has been described as “tenuous at best,” yet it alleviates some pressure on the meeting if it remains intact — considering that China’s fuel pressures are not as severe as those in other areas, according to Erin Murphy. “I don’t think the Chinese are going to do anything to embarrass Trump,” she stated. “It would just be more, you know, ‘we share views on stability. We’d like to see this conflict end right away.” Earlier this week, the US president temporarily paused a separate operation dubbed “Project Freedom” intended to assist stranded ships in exiting the strait, stating he wanted to assess whether an agreement to end the war could be achieved. Trump pledged to resume bombing Iran if it fails to open the waterway. “If they don’t agree, the bombing starts, and it will be, sadly, at a much higher level and intensity than it was before,” he posted on social media Wednesday.
