Beijing confirmed on Monday, May 11, that President Donald Trump will conduct a state visit to China from May 13 to 15.
The American leader is expected to hold discussions with his Chinese counterpart regarding the conflict in Iran and ongoing trade matters.
The announcement comes at a time when Washington and Beijing remain in disagreement over several critical issues.
These range from trade tariffs and the war in the Middle East to matters concerning Taiwan, which China claims as its territory.
President Trump had originally planned to visit in late March or early April. However, the trip was postponed to allow him to focus on the war in Iran.
Resumption of high-level dialogue
A spokesperson for the Chinese foreign ministry stated that the visit is at the invitation of President Xi Jinping. This trip marks the first face-to-face meeting between the leaders of the world’s two largest economies in more than six months.
President Trump is scheduled to arrive in Beijing on Wednesday. Formal talks are set to take place on Thursday and Friday, marking his first official visit to China since 2017.
Officials indicated that both nations are expected to establish forums intended to facilitate mutual trade and investment.
During the visit, China is also anticipated to announce significant purchases involving Boeing aircraft, as well as American agricultural and energy products.
Framework for trade and investment
Plans for a Board of Trade and a Board of Investment may be formally announced during the meeting. However, one official noted that these mechanisms might require further technical work before they can be fully implemented.
The two leaders will also address the potential extension of a truce in their trade war. This existing arrangement allows for the flow of rare earth minerals from China to the United States.
While it remains uncertain if an extension will be finalized this week, an official expressed confidence that the deal struck last autumn will eventually be prolonged.
The official noted that the current agreement has not yet expired and potential extensions would be announced at the appropriate time.
The Chinese embassy in Washington has declined to comment on the specific details of the upcoming discussions.
