Trump to visit China on May 14, 15: White House

The White House has confirmed that President Donald Trump will travel to Beijing on May 14 and 15 for a high-stakes meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping, rescheduling a visit originally planned for late March that was postponed amid the ongoing U.S. involvement in the Iran conflict.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt signaled the new dates today, following weeks of uncertainty after Trump cited the need to focus on domestic priorities and the Middle East situation as reasons for the delay. The original trip, slated for March 31 to April 2, was pushed back roughly five to six weeks, aligning with the president’s earlier comments about “resetting” the meeting while maintaining that China had agreed to the adjustment.

The summit comes as the world’s two largest economies navigate a fragile trade truce, lingering tariffs, technology export restrictions, and broader geopolitical tensions, including issues related to Taiwan, the Strait of Hormuz, and agricultural exports. Analysts expect discussions to center on stabilizing bilateral trade, potential tariff adjustments, and cooperation on global supply chains, building on preparatory talks held in Paris earlier this year.

Trump has repeatedly described his relationship with Xi as strong, and the meeting is viewed as an opportunity to advance a “comprehensive deal” on economic matters. However, the delay, initially linked to the U.S. military operation against Iran, has raised questions about whether additional domestic or international priorities could further shift the timeline.

The announcement also noted that Xi Jinping will visit Washington at a later date.

Market reactions were swift: soybean futures rose about 2.5% on reports of the rescheduling, reflecting hopes for progress on U.S. agricultural access to Chinese markets.

This will mark Trump’s first state visit to Beijing in his second term and the first by a U.S. president to China since his 2017 trip during his first administration. Further details on the agenda and accompanying delegation are expected in the coming weeks.