White House officials confirmed to AFP on Friday (February 20) that US President Donald Trump will visit China from March 31 to April 2.
This is a significant diplomatic trip for Trump since his return to the White House.
The White House did not release further details of the itinerary, but Trump will meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping during his visit.
Reuters reported that White House officials confirmed Trump’s planned visit to China on Friday, shortly after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled to overturn most of the tariffs imposed by the Trump administration under the guise of a “national emergency.”
It is understood that Trump’s three-day visit to China will focus on bilateral trade relations and core economic issues such as tariffs, market access, and supply chain security.
He had previously linked trade issues to national security, citing trade imbalances and China’s role in the supply of fentanyl-related chemicals, and declared related measures a “national emergency.”
Trump is expected to meet with Xi Jinping, marking the first formal meeting between the two leaders since their phone call in February and a significant one since their summit in Busan, South Korea, last October.
During their last meeting, the two sides reached a “trade truce” agreement to avoid further tariffs, with China pledging to increase its purchases of U.S. soybeans, crack down on fentanyl trade, and maintain rare earth mineral supplies.
However, after the Supreme Court ruled that the relevant tariff measures lacked legal basis, it remains to be seen whether Trump will reimpose tariffs on Chinese goods, and what legal path he will follow in advancing this measure.
As of now, the Chinese Embassy in Washington has not issued an official response regarding the visit to China, and Beijing has not formally confirmed the arrangements.
Sensitive issues in US-China relations still include the Taiwan issue and arms sales. In February of this year, the US announced a record arms sale plan to Taiwan, involving approximately $11.1 billion in weaponry, aimed at enhancing Taiwan’s defense capabilities, which has drawn continued attention from China.
Analysts believe that Trump’s visit to China will not only test whether the US and China can find a new balance in the areas of trade and security, but will also influence the global economic and geopolitical landscape.
