Trump says may visit China to meet Xi ‘in the not-too-distant future’

WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump said on Tuesday (Jul 22) that he may travel to China soon for talks with President Xi Jinping, signalling a potential breakthrough amid ongoing trade and geopolitical tensions between the two powers.

“President Xi has invited me to China, and we'll probably be doing that in the not-too-distant future,” Trump told reporters at the White House during a meeting with Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

“It’s a little bit out, but not too distant,” he added. “I've been invited by a lot of people, and we'll make those decisions pretty soon.”

Trump said the two countries were now “getting along very well”, and indicated his personal relationship with Xi remained “healthy”.

The potential visit would mark Trump’s first face-to-face meeting with the Chinese leader since taking office for a second term in January.

TRIP POSSIBLY TIED TO ASIA SUMMITS

Plans have yet to be finalised, but aides from both countries have discussed the possibility of Trump visiting China as part of a broader trip to Asia later this year, sources familiar with the discussions told Reuters.

One option being considered is for the meeting to occur during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in South Korea from Oct 30 to Nov 1, or on the sidelines of that event. Another possibility is a trip to Beijing on Sep 3, for a ceremony marking the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II, an event Russian President Vladimir Putin is expected to attend.

Any such meeting would also mark the first in-person engagement between Trump and Putin since the US presidential inauguration.

The White House and Chinese government have declined to comment on earlier reports about the potential meeting.

TRADE DEADLINE LOOMS

Trump’s remark came as he touted his administration’s success in “moving Marcos away from China,” even as he acknowledged it was fine for countries to maintain relations with Beijing.

“The country was maybe tilting toward China for a period of time, but we un-tilted it very, very quickly,” Trump said. “I don’t mind if he gets along with China, because we’re getting along with China very well.”

The US president has eased rhetoric in recent weeks and paused new rounds of tariffs, in a bid to stabilise the fraught US-China relationship. But his administration continues to press Beijing over longstanding concerns including overcapacity in manufacturing, regional security, and fentanyl-related exports.

Trump has proposed a 10 per cent universal base tariff on all imports and imposed higher rates on specific countries, including a 55 per cent tariff on goods from China.

He has set an Aug 12 deadline for the US and China to reach a lasting tariff agreement.

POINTS OF FRICTION

In addition to trade, US-China relations remain strained over Beijing’s support for Russia, imposition of exit bans on some American residents, and growing military assertiveness in the Indo-Pacific.

Other areas of tension include illicit opioid trade and China's pressure on Taiwan.

Despite these issues, Trump has indicated a desire to maintain dialogue with Xi and pursue pragmatic engagement.

Washington views Beijing as its main global strategic rival. Trump’s previous tit-for-tat tariff war with China upended global trade and supply chains, though recent efforts have aimed to reduce friction.