Trump Meets Xi Jinping in Beijing to Discuss Iran War, Officials Say

Donald Trump is set to arrive in Beijing on Wednesday evening to discuss the Iran war and other issues with President Xi Jinping, with an opening ceremony and meeting planned for Thursday morning and the trip concluding on Friday.

Al Jazeera reports that the trip is described by White House Principal Deputy Press Secretary Anna Kelly as having “tremendous symbolic significance” and focusing on “rebalancing the relationship with China and prioritising reciprocity and fairness to restore American economic independence”.

Al Jazeera

The Al Jazeera account says the US plans to host Xi Jinping during a reciprocal visit later this year, and it notes that Trump’s visit was postponed in March due to the US-Israel war on Iran.

Al Jazeera also says a senior administration official told news outlets in an anonymous briefing on Sunday that Trump could “apply pressure” to China on Iran in areas such as oil sales and Tehran’s purchase of potential dual-role military-civilian goods.

Politico says China is watching as the U.S. fails to cut through an Iranian blockade and expends heavy firepower, while the Pentagon’s strategic documents reveal that warding off Beijing is no longer the top priority.

Politico frames the upcoming talks by quoting a former defense official saying, “The Chinese would be well within their right to say, ‘What do you have left to build deterrence with?’”

Al Jazeera

Politico also cites a defense official saying, “China’s military is absolutely closely studying our operations against Iran to identify vulnerabilities they can exploit in a conflict with the United States,” and it adds that the official was granted anonymity to discuss sensitive intelligence matters.

Politico reports that the meeting comes two months after Trump postponed the initial gathering in Beijing, citing his need to focus on the then-nascent war, and it says the conflict has shifted toward who controls the Strait of Hormuz, through which about 20 percent of the world’s oil supply flows.

Al Jazeera says Iran closed the Strait of Hormuz in response to US-Israeli attacks, restricting passage through a key artery of global energy transport, and it adds that China has said it wants to see the war end while hosting Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Arraghchi last week.

Al Jazeera reports that Beijing has refused to recognise Washington’s “unilateral” sanctions on Iran’s oil sector, and it says disruptions stemming from the war have disrupted the global economy, with Asian states that depend on imports from the Middle East especially hard hit.

Politico adds that the U.S. military campaign appears to have shifted from destroying Iranian nuclear programs to a messier, more protracted conflict focused on who controls the Strait of Hormuz.

Politico also warns that current and former U.S. defense officials fear China is heading into the meeting holding the cards, with the conflict and its effects on gas prices and strategic priorities shaping what each side brings to the table.