Suspense over Trump’s Beijing trip as Iran war complicates US-China ties

Trump is currently scheduled to travel to China from March 31 to April 2, which would mark the first visit by a sitting US president to the country since 2017, though Beijing has not yet confirmed the exact dates

• China prepares for possible Xi-Trump meeting amid Iran conflict
• Wang Yi calls for thorough prep and ongoing US-China dialogue
• Geopolitical tensions cast doubt on Trump's China visit

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China signalled that preparations are underway for a possible meeting between President Xi Jinping and US President Donald Trump, even as the escalating war involving Iran threatens to complicate diplomatic engagement between the world’s two largest economies.

As per a CNBC report, speaking in Beijing, China’s top diplomat Wang Yi said both sides must make “thorough preparations”, manage existing risks and create the right conditions for high-level talks to take place, emphasising that continued dialogue between Washington and Beijing is essential to avoid miscalculation and global instability.

He warned that turning away from engagement could deepen misunderstandings and increase the risk of confrontation, adding that a slide toward conflict between major powers would have consequences for the entire world.

Plans for reciprocal visits between the two leaders were first signalled after they met in person in South Korea last year. Trump is currently scheduled to travel to China from March 31 to April 2, which would mark the first visit by a sitting US president to the country since 2017, though Beijing has not yet confirmed the exact dates.

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The report further added that uncertainty surrounding the visit has grown as geopolitical tensions escalate. Analysts have questioned whether the trip will proceed as planned following joint US-Israeli strikes on Iran that reportedly killed the country's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and the US capture of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro.

Without directly naming those leaders, Wang reiterated Beijing's call for a ceasefire in the Iran conflict, saying the war should never have occurred and would bring no benefit to any country.

Since the strikes on Iran began on February 28, Wang has held phone conversations with several foreign ministers, including counterparts from Russia, Iran and Israel, according to official summaries of the discussions.

The remarks were delivered on the sidelines of China's annual parliamentary session in Beijing, where senior leaders - including Xi, Premier Li Qiang and Vice Premier He Lifeng - are meeting with delegates from across the country.

Economic diplomacy is also continuing alongside the political dialogue. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and He are expected to meet in Paris later this week to discuss potential business agreements that could be announced if Trump and Xi meet as scheduled, CNBC reported.

The talks come after Washington and Beijing agreed last year to a fragile truce that lowered tariffs on each other's goods to below 50% for one year, easing tensions after duties had previously surged above 100% during the peak of the trade dispute.

Responding to questions about Trump's suggestion that the United States and China could form a "G2" leading the global order, Wang rejected the idea that two countries alone should dominate world affairs. Instead, he stressed the importance of a multipolar international system and warned against rising tariff barriers and attempts to decouple the two economies, saying such moves would ultimately harm those pursuing them.