Trump and Xi meeting to be delayed amid Middle East conflict
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The news: US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping’s highly anticipated meeting could be postponed as the US president remains focused on the Middle East conflict, the White House said on Monday.
The context: It remains unclear how long the meeting between the two leaders could be delayed. Trump told reporters on Monday he had asked for the summit to be pushed back by “a month or so” due to the war, adding that he was “looking forward to being there” at some point.
However, preparations for the meeting are still ongoing. The White House said logistical arrangements for the trip were still underway on Monday, while US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent was in Paris for talks with Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng aimed at laying the framework for trade and other agreements between Trump and Xi in Beijing.
During those talks, China signalled openness to increasing purchases of US agricultural products including poultry, beef and non-soybean row crops, according to Reuters. They also discussed the supply of rare earth minerals largely controlled by China and new approaches to managing trade and investment between the countries.
What they said: “The president looks forward to visiting China. The dates may be moved. As commander-in-chief, it’s his number one priority right now to ensure the continued success of this operation, Epic Fury. So, we’ll keep you posted on the dates as soon as we can,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said.
