Why Trump’s China trip delay could open the door for ‘more substantive’ results

Beijing has confirmed it remains in communication with Washington about a landmark visit by US President Donald Trump, who has requested to delay the trip by a month due to the US-Israel war on Iran. Chinese analysts characterised the delay as a strategic opportunity to ensure more substantive results. They also suggested the shift in timing was unlikely to derail the momentum towards stabilising ties between the two global powers. The White House previously announced that the trip – the first by a US president since 2017 – would take place from March 31 to April 2. But Trump said on Monday he had to postpone it. “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,” Trump told reporters. Asked to comment on the remarks, Beijing said it was “still in communication” with the US, without further elaboration. “China and the US are in communication on the timing of President Trump’s visit to China,” foreign ministry spokesman Lin Jian said on Tuesday. Trump’s planned visit is in question as Washington remains bogged down by the war, but observers said the delay would allow both sides to reach “a more substantive outcome” as it would give Washington more time to prepare. Chen Qi, a professor of international relations at Tsinghua University, said Beijing and Washington had both shown they intended to control their disputes and keep them from spiralling out of control, as seen in regular contacts in recent months. “Therefore, allowing short-term disruptions to alter the broader trend of stabilising ties would not serve the interests of both sides.” Chen added that Beijing viewed the war as “a problem created by Trump” and was determined not to let it overshadow its priority of stabilising ties with Washington or risk getting drawn into unnecessary turmoil. He said the decision to postpone the meeting was “understandable” because preparations for Trump’s trip appeared “rushed”. Chinese officials are reportedly frustrated with what they perceive as last-minute planning before Trump’s arrival, the lack of communication about Trump’s expectations for the summit and the limited US diplomatic channels available for engagement and decision-making. Beijing also prefers to host high-level US officials to lay the groundwork for a state visit. Ahead of Trump’s last trip to China in 2017, both the US secretary of state and commerce secretary visited the country months in advance. James Yifan Chen, a professor of international relations at Taiwan’s Tamkang University, said that the postponement would provide extra time to “prepare for a more substantive outcome”. US arms sales to Taiwan were a major hurdle at the negotiating table, he added, noting that Beijing was likely to demand that Trump explicitly reject Taiwanese independence. “This sticking point may not have been fully resolved; further discussion and time are needed, ideally at the level of top diplomats,” he said. “The extra time could allow for more thorough discussions on details and a more substantive outcome. Washington is currently focused on Iran and doesn’t have the bandwidth to fully prepare for Trump’s visit to Beijing.” US media reported last month that the Trump administration had delayed announcing a Taiwan arms sale package valued at US$13 billion that would surpass the record US$11 billion sale approved in December. Chinese President Xi Jinping and Trump did not discuss Taiwan when they met in South Korea in October. But in a phone call with Trump in February, Xi urged Washington to handle arms sales to Taiwan with caution. Song Luzheng, an international affairs researcher at Fudan University’s China Institute, said, “Trump might consider that negotiating with China at this time would be relatively disadvantageous, as he would have fewer bargaining chips.” “Moreover, if China and the US were to have disputes over the Iran issue, that would represent an even greater loss.” He also noted a “structural stability” in bilateral ties due to several factors, such as the common understanding between Beijing and Washington to try to avoid confrontational approaches. “This stability will not be easily disrupted by external shocks – unless problems arise directly between China and the US themselves, which would be a different matter.” In a Sunday interview with the Financial Times, Trump explicitly tied his visit to Beijing’s cooperation in reopening the Strait of Hormuz. Later, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent played down the narrative, saying that any delay would not be because of US requests for China to take action to protect shipping through the strait. Iran closed the vital shipping artery in response to American and Israeli military strikes, disrupting the supply chain and causing a sharp rise in global energy prices. Diao Daming, a professor at Renmin University’s School of International Studies, noted that it was “essential” for Beijing and Washington to find a mutually suitable time when they could “fully put their attention on bilateral relations and issues” in an “appropriate atmosphere”. “From Trump’s wording of a one-month delay as well as Bessent’s clarification of the Strait of Hormuz, the US side had shown a genuine intention to make Trump’s visit happen,” he said. “Both sides have high expectations and have worked hard to prevent unexpected or anticipated factors from disrupting this important bilateral agenda.” Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said earlier this month that 2026 would be a landmark year for China-US relations.

Why Trump’s China trip delay could open the door for ‘more substantive’ results

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Analysts say postponement of US president’s trip to Beijing is a strategic opportunity and unlikely to derail momentum in stabilising ties

Analysts say postponement of US president’s trip to Beijing is a strategic opportunity and unlikely to derail momentum in stabilising ties