Trump confirms meeting with Xi has been delayed
What's the story
United States President Donald Trump has confirmed that his planned summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing has been postponed. The meeting, originally scheduled from March 31 to April 2, has been delayed by "five or six weeks" due to the ongoing US-Israel conflict against Iran. "We're working with China. They were fine with it ... I look forward to seeing President Xi. He looks forward to seeing me, I think," Trump told reporters at the White House.
Diplomatic discussions
Chinese embassy confirms ongoing communication
The Chinese embassy in Washington has yet to confirm Trump's timeline but said, "China and the US remain in communication on President Trump's visit to China, including the dates." Trump and Xi were expected to discuss a variety of issues, including trade tariffs and Chinese export curbs on rare earth minerals and magnets, as well as the US-Taiwan relationship and Chinese fentanyl exports.
Presidential priorities
Trump addresses concerns over trip delay
Trump has said that he wants to be in the US during the Iran conflict. He emphasized his good relationship with China and denied any ulterior motives behind delaying the trip. "Because of the war I want to be here, I have to be here," he said. Trump has also indicated that he is seeking China's help in reopening the Strait of Hormuz, which has been largely shut by Tehran since the US and Israel launched their war on Iran.
Trade tensions
NATO members reject president's proposals for coalition
The waterway is a major artery for world trade and Middle Eastern oil exports, and the price of oil has risen dramatically as a result of its closure. Trump told Financial Times that China was one of the countries that should encourage Tehran to reopen the strait. Most US allies in NATO have rejected the president's proposals for a coalition, prompting Trump to call it "a very foolish mistake." He later lashed out that the US no longer required assistance.