Trump Delays China Trip Over Iran War, Hormuz Crisis

President Donald Trump has announced plans to delay his scheduled March 31-April 2 trip to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping by approximately one month.

“United States President Donald Trump says he is seeking to delay a highly anticipated trip to China in early April by about a month because of the US-Israeli war on Iran”

Al Jazeera

Trump cited the ongoing war with Iran as the primary reason for the postponement, stating 'Because of the war I want to be here, I have to be here, I feel.'

Al Jazeera

The delay comes amid escalating tensions in the Middle East following a large-scale US-Israeli attack on Iran on February 28 that killed over 1,200 people, including Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt emphasized that as commander-in-chief, Trump's 'number-one priority right now is to ensure the continued success of this Operation Epic Fury.'

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent noted that 'traveling abroad at a time like this may not be optimal' given the need to coordinate the war effort.

The Strait of Hormuz has become a critical flashpoint in the current crisis, with Iran blockading the vital waterway in response to intensified US-Israeli bombing campaigns.

The strait carries approximately one-fifth of the world's oil supply, and China's heavy reliance on this route makes it particularly sensitive to the geopolitical tensions.

Kyiv Post

Trump explained that 'China's an interesting case study. They get most of their oil, as you know, by far, they get a lot, about 90 percent through the strait,' noting that over one-third of oil flowing through Hormuz went to China in early 2025.

The administration has been pressuring Beijing and other nations to send warships to help secure the shipping lane, though these efforts have met with limited success so far.

Trump's public statements suggest he views China's cooperation as potentially conditional upon the delayed summit, though administration officials later attempted to downplay this connection.

The Trump administration's push for international support to reopen the Strait of Hormuz has encountered significant resistance from allies, with European nations particularly reluctant to become directly involved.

“Trump cites Iran war US President Donald Trump said Monday he had asked China to delay his planned summit with Chinese leader Xi Jinping by about a month as he deals with the war in Iran”

Kyiv Post

Several European allies and NATO members, including Germany, Spain, and the UK, have refused to send warships to the strategic waterway.

'It is not NATO war,' German Chancellor Friedrich Merz's spokesman stated bluntly, reflecting broader European concerns about escalating tensions.

Meanwhile, Trump has continued to pressure Middle Eastern oil-dependent countries, claiming that 'many countries were prepared to help' while refusing to specify which nations were supporting the initiative.

This resistance underscores the deep divisions within the international community regarding the US-led response to the Iran conflict and broader strategic calculations.

The delayed summit was originally conceived as a high-level effort to stabilize US-China ties, with trade expected to dominate the agenda before the latest uncertainty.

The meeting would have marked the first in-person encounter between Trump and Xi since talks in South Korea last October, where the two sides agreed on tariff reductions in exchange for Chinese action on fentanyl-related trade and soybean purchases.

The Guardian

Trump had promoted the visit in grand terms, suggesting it could be the 'biggest display' in China's history and hoping for further Chinese purchases of US agricultural goods.

The postponement comes amid ongoing trade negotiations in Paris that showed some progress, with Chinese officials demonstrating openness to additional US agricultural purchases.

Discussions also covered rare earth minerals and new approaches to managing trade and investment between the countries.

The delay of the China summit represents a significant shift in Trump's foreign policy priorities, demonstrating how the Iran war has fundamentally reshaped his administration's diplomatic agenda.

“Reporter Sita Planasari March 17, 2026 | 11:13 am TEMPO”

Tempo.co English

Originally meant to be a 'high-profile reset' between the world's two largest economies, the summit's postponement risks further complicating an already complex relationship.

The Hill

The relationship is already strained by trade disputes, Taiwan tensions, and now direct military confrontation in the Middle East.

While administration officials insist the delay is primarily focused on war coordination, the timing and Trump's public linking of the two issues suggests a more calculated approach to leveraging China's dependence on Middle Eastern oil flows.

This diplomatic maneuvering comes amid broader questions about the administration's ability to maintain multiple foreign policy crises simultaneously.