Trump Heads for Xi Summit Overshadowed by Iran War
The leaders are expected to discuss soybean purchases, Boeing jets and export controls as both sides seek a limited trade truce extension.
- President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping are scheduled to meet in Beijing on May 14-15 for a high-stakes summit addressing trade policy, artificial intelligence, Taiwan, and the ongoing Iran conflict.
- Seeking economic wins ahead of November's midterm elections, the administration aims to secure trade concessions including Chinese purchases of 25 million metric tons of soybeans annually and 500 Boeing aircraft.
- U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent urged China to "join us in this international operation" to open the Strait of Hormuz, while Beijing invoked "Blocking Rules" on May 2 to reject U.S. sanctions on five mainland oil refiners.
- President Trump plans to raise imprisoned media tycoon Jimmy Lai's case with Xi, while Beijing maintains that Taiwan peace requires clear opposition to "Taiwan independence," describing the island as "the biggest point of risk."
- Analysts warn deliverables may be limited due to lack of preparation, yet Patricia Kim of the Brookings Institution noted, "There's actually a lot of leverage there that Beijing could use" given Iran's criticality to the U.S.
16 Articles
16 Articles
It's no 'Nixon in China' moment, but Trump's visit to Beijing will have to do
President Donald Trump holds up a chart while speaking during an event announcing broad global tariffs in the Rose Garden of the White House on April 2, 2025. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)What happens in China does not stay in China; it impacts us all. This thought ought to be front and center as President Donald Trump holds a summit next week with President Xi Jinping in Beijing, China’s capital. The summit has been made exponential…
What does China want out of Trump's visit?
US President Donald Trump is due to visit China on May 14-15, where he is expected to meet leader Xi Jinping, after delaying an earlier summit because of the Iran war. Here is what Beijing could be hoping to achieve: What does China want? Beyond diplomatic niceties and behind closed doors, Beijing will be looking for small, concrete achievements, analysts said, but will stay "realistically pragmatic" given Trump's unpredictable nature. China wan…
US President Donald Trump heads for Xi summit overshadowed by Iran war
US President Donald Trump heads for a superpower summit with Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping next week hoping the Iran war will not spoil the mood in Beijing. US President Donald Trump (left) and Secretary of Defence Pete Hegsesth (right) at a White House press briefing on April 6, 2026. Photo: The White House/Flickr. Trump will be expecting a lavish welcome at the high-stakes meeting, which he delayed in March because of the Middle East conflict…
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- 37% of the sources lean Left, 36% of the sources are Center
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