Trump wants to delay trip to China, summit with Xi for ‘a month or so’. Here's why
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "Trump wants to delay trip to China, summit with Xi for ‘a month or so’. Here's why")
This combination of pictures created on February 04, 2026 shows L/R China's President Xi Jinping in Beijing on January 29, 2026 and US President Donald Trump in Washington, DC, on January 29, 2026. Photograph: (AFP)
President Donald Trump has asked to postpone his highly anticipated summit with Chinese leader Xi Jinping by a month. Originally scheduled for March 31 to April 2, the delay comes as the US pushes Beijing to help secure Strait of Hormuz, where oil transit has been throttled by IRGC threats.
US President Donald Trump has announced that he has asked China to postpone a planned summit with Chinese leader Xi Jinping by about a month. Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office on Monday (Mar 16), Trump said the meeting, originally expected to take place in early April, could be pushed back. This comes days after China, using an AI-generated video, mocked Trump's security summit, Shield of the Americas. The video that went viral on social media carried the title “Shield of the Americas, or shackles of the Americas?”. Why is the US president pushing his meeting with the Chinese leader? Here's all we know.
Why has Trump delayed his vital China trip?
Speaking to reporters at the White House, Trump said he won't meet Xi while the war between the US, Israel and Iran continues. “We’re speaking to China,” Trump said. “Because of the war I want to be here, I have to be here, I feel. And so we’ve requested that we delay it a month or so.”
Summit was expected in early April
The two leaders had been expected to meet in China from around March 31 to April 2, a visit that would have marked a major moment in relations between the world’s two largest economies. Officials say the possible delay is linked mainly to the war effort rather than disputes between Washington and Beijing.
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US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Trump wants to remain in Washington to coordinate military operations related to the Iran conflict.
Iran war reshapes diplomatic schedule
The conflict, now entering its third week, has disrupted parts of the global energy market and raised tensions across the Middle East. Trump has also been urging several countries, including China, to help maintain security in the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial shipping route for global oil supplies.
Despite the possible delay, officials on both sides say preparations for the summit are continuing and that communication between Washington and Beijing remains active. The meeting is expected to focus on trade issues and broader geopolitical tensions once a new date is agreed.
