President Donald Trump will travel to Beijing for a rescheduled summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping on May 14 and 15, the White House announced on Wednesday. The trip had been delayed due to Trump's focus on the ongoing U.S.-Israeli war against Iran.
Originally planned for later this month, the summit was postponed as Trump sought to steer the conflict in Iran, which began with U.S. and Israeli attacks on February 28. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt expressed optimism that the war could reach an endgame before Trump's travels, stating, 'We've always estimated four to six weeks.'
The rescheduled summit is seen as an opportunity to build on a fragile trade truce between the two superpowers. However, it has become entangled in Trump's efforts to secure Middle Eastern oil routes, particularly the Strait of Hormuz, which has been effectively closed due to Iranian targeting of energy infrastructure.
'We're working with China — they were fine with it,' Trump said last week. 'I look forward to seeing President Xi. He looks forward to seeing me, I think.'
Despite pushing China and other nations to send warships to secure access to Middle Eastern oil, Trump indicated last week that his travel plans depended on Beijing's response, though he emphasized that the U.S. didn't need help from allies that rebuffed his request.