Trump expects a visit from Chinese President Xi but hasn’t given a timeline

U.S. President Donald Trump stated on Wednesday that he anticipates a visit from Chinese President Xi Jinping to the United States, although he did not provide a specific timeline for the trip. Trump made these comments to reporters aboard Air Force One, expressing that a new trade agreement between the U.S. and China is “possible.” He emphasized the importance of dialogue between himself and Xi as a key factor in potentially alleviating or postponing trade tariffs.

“We will ultimately have President Xi and other leaders visiting the U.S.,” Trump remarked, highlighting the significance of such visits.

Xi’s most recent trip to the U.S. occurred in November 2023, marking his fifth visit as Chinese president, during which he met with then-President Joe Biden. This summit led to agreements aimed at resuming military communications and addressing fentanyl production.

Prior to taking office on January 20, Trump had a conversation with Xi, discussing various topics including TikTok, trade, and Taiwan.

On Wednesday, Trump mentioned ongoing discussions with China regarding TikTok, as the U.S. seeks to facilitate a sale of the widely-used app, which is owned by the Chinese company ByteDance. He noted that he had also spoken with Xi since assuming office but did not disclose the specifics of their conversation. The Chinese foreign ministry did not directly address Trump’s comments, instead referring to their previously scheduled call before he took office.

The relationship between Washington and Beijing has been strained for years, with tensions arising from issues such as trade tariffs, cybersecurity, TikTok, Taiwan, Hong Kong, human rights, and the origins of COVID-19. Additionally, Trump indicated that he believes a deal could be reached with Russia regarding the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, stating, “We can make a deal with Russia to stop the killing,” and suggesting that Russia may be inclined to end the war due to territorial gains.