Xi-Trump summit: White House locks in new dates in May
Breaking News After weeks of speculation and behind-the-scenes intrigue over the delayed summit between President Xi Jinping and US President Donald Trump, the White House announced on Wednesday new dates for the long-anticipated, high-stakes meeting. “I’m pleased to announce that President Trump’s … long-awaited meeting with President Xi in China will now take place in Beijing on May 14 and 15,” White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt said.
In a social media post, Trump described Xi as “the highly respected President of China”, adding that “representatives” on both sides were “finalising preparations” for the “historic” visit. “I look very much forward to spending time with President Xi in what will be, I am sure, a monumental event,” he added.
The meeting was originally scheduled for March 31 to April 2 but was delayed as the US-Israel war against Iran escalated, prompting a shift in Trump’s priorities.
Asked whether the new dates suggested the Trump administration expected the Iran war to wind down by May, Leavitt responded that the trip was only postponed for three or four weeks and Trump “looked forward” to visiting China on the new May dates.
The dates have been a moving target, sparked in part by Trump’s belief that he could wrap up his Middle East war in short order.
In mid-March, Trump said the delay would be in “five or six weeks”.
Analysts said holding a glitzy summit in Beijing while a war was raging would not be good optics for the president, who is slipping in the US polls as gas prices rise and military body bags return.
Asked if there was a precondition that Iran would not be taken up during the meeting, she said Trump and Xi had discussed the rescheduling, and the Chinese leader understood that it was “very important” for the president to be in the US “throughout these combat operations”.
Leavitt also announced that Trump, along with his wife, first lady Melania, will host “Xi and Madam Peng Liyuan for a reciprocal visit in Washington, DC, at a later date to be announced this year”.
More to follow …
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