US president Donald Trump says he will meet Chinese president Xi Jinping in China on 14-15 May, after delaying the landmark trip amid the US-Israel war with Iran.
This would be the first visit to China by a US president in nearly 10 years.
Trump is also set to host Xi in Washington DC later this year, and officials are “finalizing preparations for these Historic Visits”, he wrote on Truth Social on Wednesday.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed the dates of Trump’s visit, telling reporters that President Xi had understood and accepted the request to postpone the trip.
“President Xi understood that it’s very important for the president to be here throughout these combat operations right now,” Leavitt said at a press briefing on Wednesday.
Beijing has not confirmedthe dates listed by Trump – though it does not typically reveal Xi’s schedule so far in advance.
Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Lin Jian told reporters on Thursday that “both sides are maintaining communication regarding President Trump’s visit to China”.
He also said that “leader-level diplomacy plays an irreplaceable strategic guiding role” in bilateral ties.
Trump’s trip, originally slated for 31 March, was delayed after the US and Israel launched wide-ranging strikes on Iran last month, killing the country’s supreme leader.
BBC/Maxwell Oyekunle
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