https://www.scmp.com/rss/525446/feed In March 2026, President Xi Jinping and US President Donald Trump are expected to begin a long-awaited meeting to talk about a number of factors affecting China and America, in particular Trump's trade war tariffs. Tawian and the US-Israel war on Iran are also likely to be discussed. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Lucy Quaggin Lucy Quaggin Over 70 Democrats on Tuesday urged US President Donald Trump to keep Chinese carmakers out of America, warning of “irreversible” consequences, just weeks ahead of his high-stakes trip to Beijing to meet with China’s President Xi Jinping. “We must not cede the American auto industry to a strategic competitor intent on global dominance,” a letter, signed by 73 House Democrats led by US Representative Debbie Dingell, said. “The consequences for American workers, our supply chains, our national... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3351765/democrats-urge-trump-keep-ban-chinese-cars-us-xi-meeting-looms?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3351765/democrats-urge-trump-keep-ban-chinese-cars-us-xi-meeting-looms?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 28 Apr 2026 22:42:13 +0000 Cao Jiaxuan Cao Jiaxuan The coming summit between Chinese President Xi Jinping and his US counterpart Donald Trump offers a window to stabilise bilateral ties through trade deals, but former diplomats and business figures have urged the leaders to move beyond commerce during their talks. At a forum held by the Centre for China and Globalisation (CCG) in Beijing on Sunday, analysts and former officials called on the leaders to address issues such as healthcare, climate change, technological decoupling and AI... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3351609/why-experts-say-trade-wins-arent-enough-xi-trump-summit-may?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3351609/why-experts-say-trade-wins-arent-enough-xi-trump-summit-may?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 27 Apr 2026 22:00:18 +0000 Shi Jiangtao Shi Jiangtao Just weeks before US President Donald Trump’s planned visit to Beijing next month, China is sending two giant pandas to Atlanta in what observers describe as a “goodwill gesture” amid persistent tensions that range from trade to broader security issues. The China Wildlife Conservation Association said on Friday that male panda Ping Ping and female Fu Shuang would travel to the US under a 10-year conservation agreement signed with Zoo Atlanta last year. Chinese state media, including the Global... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3351294/lead-trumps-beijing-visit-china-announces-2-pandas-are-headed-us-zoo?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3351294/lead-trumps-beijing-visit-china-announces-2-pandas-are-headed-us-zoo?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 24 Apr 2026 08:12:48 +0000 Junjie Wang Junjie Wang Mozambique President Daniel Chapo became the first African head of state to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping this year. Chapo was the tenth national leader overall to meet Xi in Beijing in 2026, following earlier visits from the heads of countries including the UK, Canada, Vietnam and Spain. US President Donald Trump is due to have a summit with Xi during a May 14-15 visit to China. Russian President Vladimir Putin will visit the country before the end of June. https://www.scmp.com/plus/news/china/article/3351244/xi-jinping-meets-foreign-leaders-tracker-2026?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/news/china/article/3351244/xi-jinping-meets-foreign-leaders-tracker-2026?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 24 Apr 2026 03:58:05 +0000 Khushboo Razdan Khushboo Razdan US President Donald Trump’s close ally, Senator Steve Daines, will lead a bipartisan delegation to China next week, according to sources, even as Washington steps up pressure on Beijing over trade, technological competition, and its ties to Iran, ahead of a closely watched leaders’ summit on May 14-15. According to people familiar who requested anonymity, the five-member delegation led by Daines, a Republican from Montana, will begin its visit on May 1, with stops in Shanghai and Beijing. The... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3351219/trump-ally-visit-china-us-turns-pressure-may-summit?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3351219/trump-ally-visit-china-us-turns-pressure-may-summit?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 23 Apr 2026 22:18:18 +0000 Laura Zhou Laura Zhou The on-again, off-again US-Iran peace talks are casting doubt on whether Donald Trump will make his planned visit to Beijing in a few weeks, though the war could raise the diplomatic stakes of the trip if it does go ahead, Chinese observers say. Hours before a two-week ceasefire was set to end, the US president announced on Tuesday that he was prolonging the fragile truce with Iran. That came after Vice-President J.D. Vance’s trip to Pakistan for a second round of peace negotiations was first... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3351041/iran-talks-go-nowhere-will-donald-trump-still-go-beijing?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3351041/iran-talks-go-nowhere-will-donald-trump-still-go-beijing?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 22 Apr 2026 15:00:13 +0000 Fan Chen,Josephine Ma Fan Chen,Josephine Ma US President Donald Trump said on Friday night he was looking forward to his meeting with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping next month and predicted it would be “special”. Trump posted on social media: “China’s President Xi is very happy that Strait of Hormuz is open and/or rapidly opening; I look forward to meeting Xi. “Our meeting ‌in China will ‌be a special ⁠one and, potentially, Historic. I ⁠look forward to being with President ‌Xi – ‌Much will be accomplished!” Trump was originally... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3350555/donald-trump-predicts-meeting-xi-jinping-will-be-special-ahead-china-visit?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3350555/donald-trump-predicts-meeting-xi-jinping-will-be-special-ahead-china-visit?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 18 Apr 2026 04:06:34 +0000 Raymond Ma,Neil Denslow Raymond Ma,Neil Denslow The China-US trade war bubbled away this week, even as the Strait of Hormuz shutdown dominated global headlines. The US is finalising a multinational agreement on trade and critical minerals to break China’s grip on vital resources, US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer told lawmakers on Thursday. He also sought a higher budget to support more trade investigations, and suggested potential action to pare US farmers’ reliance on Chinese orders. “We’re not just going to lay down and let the... https://www.scmp.com/plus/news/china/diplomacy/article/3350432/us-china-tensions-simmer-economy-outperforms-auto-china-begins?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/news/china/diplomacy/article/3350432/us-china-tensions-simmer-economy-outperforms-auto-china-begins?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 17 Apr 2026 09:00:12 +0000 Khushboo Razdan Khushboo Razdan In a defiant display of “America first” brinkmanship, Washington’s top trade negotiator on Thursday sought additional funding to support US President Donald Trump’s new trade wars, insisting the administration will not be held hostage by Beijing’s retaliatory tactics ahead of a high-stakes leaders’ summit next month. With Trump set to meet Chinese leader Xi Jinping on May 14-15, US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer used the agency’s budget hearing to draw a hard line: the US is doubling down... https://www.scmp.com/news/us/article/3350377/greer-pushes-funds-escalate-trumps-trade-fight-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/us/article/3350377/greer-pushes-funds-escalate-trumps-trade-fight-china?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 16 Apr 2026 21:28:58 +0000 Gabriela Bernal Gabriela Bernal Having invested significant diplomatic capital into ties with Russia in recent years, North Korea now seems to be pivoting back to China. Leader Kim Jong-un said his country places “the greatest value” on improving ties with Beijing. This shift came during Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi’s two-day visit to North Korea last week, where he met Kim and North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui. Notably, Wang’s visit marked his first to North Korea since 2019. In the intervening years of the... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3349984/why-north-korea-rekindling-china-relations?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3349984/why-north-korea-rekindling-china-relations?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 15 Apr 2026 21:30:12 +0000 Orange Wang Orange Wang US President Donald Trump has dismissed concerns that the ongoing war on Iran and its effect on global oil supplies will derail his planned visit to Beijing to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping. In an interview with Fox Business host Maria Bartiromo that aired on Wednesday, Trump said he did not think the war would “change the dynamic” of his coming visit to China. Asked whether the impact on the oil price from recent US actions in Iran and Venezuela and Trump’s comments on Cuba would affect his... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3350188/trump-tells-letter-exchange-xi-jinping-over-chinas-role-iran-war-interview?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3350188/trump-tells-letter-exchange-xi-jinping-over-chinas-role-iran-war-interview?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 15 Apr 2026 10:33:22 +0000 Junjie Wang Junjie Wang Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez and Vietnamese leader To Lam are the latest world leaders to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping amid global trade tensions and the war in Iran. Xi also this week met Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Abu Dhabi’s crown prince, Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. The president of Mozambique arrives in China this week as well. US President Donald Trump delayed his trip to China to May 14-15 in order to focus on the conflict in the Middle... https://www.scmp.com/plus/news/china/article/3350157/xi-jinping-meets-foreign-leaders-tracker-2026?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/news/china/article/3350157/xi-jinping-meets-foreign-leaders-tracker-2026?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 15 Apr 2026 09:45:40 +0000 Lucy Quaggin Lucy Quaggin American views on China have softened ahead of a high-stakes summit between US President Donald Trump and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping in May, with positive sentiment nearly doubling since 2023, a survey by the Pew Research Centre has found. While a significant majority of Americans still regard China as a competitor to the US rather than a partner, fewer call the world’s second largest economy an adversary than in 2025, according to the survey, which was released on Tuesday. “Today, 27... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3350109/trump-will-head-beijing-amid-warming-trend-sentiment-about-china-home?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3350109/trump-will-head-beijing-amid-warming-trend-sentiment-about-china-home?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 15 Apr 2026 06:00:14 +0000 Reuters Reuters US President Donald Trump’s son Eric Trump and his wife, Lara, will accompany the president on his trip next month to China, a spokeswoman for the family organisation said on Tuesday. Two sources earlier said members of Trump’s family, including Eric, were ‌considering joining Trump on his highly anticipated May 14-15 visit, potentially to contribute to US-China business relations. The spokeswoman said that Eric, who manages his father’s business empire, would go in a personal capacity. “Eric... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3350096/trumps-son-eric-join-fathers-state-visit-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3350096/trumps-son-eric-join-fathers-state-visit-china?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 14 Apr 2026 17:47:28 +0000 Mark Magnier,Khushboo Razdan,William Zheng,Dewey Sim Mark Magnier,Khushboo Razdan,William Zheng,Dewey Sim As US President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping prepare to sit down in the coming weeks, negotiations on deliverables and scheduling have accelerated, including a possible visit to Beijing’s Temple of Heaven and a military parade, according to several people familiar with the planning process. The lead-up for such a consequential summit has been compressed and rather disjointed given the Middle East war and Trump’s preference for making last-minute decisions based on his “gut”. “This... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3350079/trump-xi-summit-shaped-uncertainty-not-strategy-experts?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3350079/trump-xi-summit-shaped-uncertainty-not-strategy-experts?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 14 Apr 2026 16:00:13 +0000 Fan Chen Fan Chen Donald Trump’s threat to blockade the Strait of Hormuz “forces Beijing into a political dilemma” and could potentially derail the US president’s coming summit with Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping, analysts said. After talks in Pakistan between the US and Iran ended without a deal on Sunday, Trump said in a social media post that the US would seal off the strategically vital chokepoint. In a narrower order issued later, the US military said American forces would blockade only “maritime traffic... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3349942/could-trumps-hormuz-blockade-derail-china-summit-xi-jinping?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3349942/could-trumps-hormuz-blockade-derail-china-summit-xi-jinping?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 13 Apr 2026 14:15:52 +0000 Khushboo Razdan Khushboo Razdan Jeff Winton, a dairy farmer in upstate New York who grows much of the feed for his own cattle, stopped planting corn in 2022 when fertiliser prices spiked. “We just couldn’t afford the input costs,” he recalled. The surge began after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine disrupted exports of nitrogen, urea and other key fertiliser nutrients, with Russia, alongside its ally Belarus, among the world’s leading suppliers. As the war in Ukraine entered its fourth year, a separate conflict involving the US,... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3349712/high-fertiliser-prices-mean-more-soybeans-farmers-and-greater-reliance-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3349712/high-fertiliser-prices-mean-more-soybeans-farmers-and-greater-reliance-china?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 10 Apr 2026 19:11:24 +0000 Peter T. C. Chang Peter T. C. Chang With the coming summit between Chinese President Xi Jinping and US President Donald Trump back on schedule for May, the two leaders present two starkly different paths for the world: one defined by a “community with a shared future” and the other driven by unpredictable impulses of rivalry and division. While Trump postponed the April summit to engage Xi without the distractions of the war he launched on Iran, a swift resolution before their meeting does not seem likely – despite the newly... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3349273/can-community-shared-future-prevail-over-zero-sum-rivalry?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3349273/can-community-shared-future-prevail-over-zero-sum-rivalry?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 10 Apr 2026 01:30:10 +0000 Shi Jiangtao Shi Jiangtao A temporary but fragile ceasefire is in place after US President Donald Trump pulled back from the brink of a wider Iran war. For Beijing, as it prepares for Trump’s high-stakes visit planned for next month, the key question is what the Iran crisis reveals about Trump’s governing style, and whether it has left him emboldened or simply more unpredictable and volatile. The episode is the latest example of what Chinese observers call Trump’s “split” style: abrupt swings between conciliatory talk of... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3349519/how-can-beijing-prepare-trumps-drunken-boxing-style-his-china-visit?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3349519/how-can-beijing-prepare-trumps-drunken-boxing-style-his-china-visit?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 09 Apr 2026 14:00:08 +0000 Brian Rhoads,Raymond Ma Brian Rhoads,Raymond Ma Next month’s US-China presidential summit will focus on trade rather than investment, reflecting a reluctance to remove all economic constraints, according to the top US trade official. “I don’t think we’re at the point in our relationship with the Chinese where we want to talk about the investment programmes either way, right?” United States Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said on Tuesday at a Hudson Institute event in Washington. He cautioned against “premature discussions” as the... https://www.scmp.com/plus/news/china/diplomacy/article/3349526/trump-xi-summit-set-limited-trade-focused-agenda?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/news/china/diplomacy/article/3349526/trump-xi-summit-set-limited-trade-focused-agenda?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 09 Apr 2026 09:33:03 +0000 Khushboo Razdan Khushboo Razdan Just weeks before a planned summit between US President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping, Washington’s top trade negotiator signalled a cautious, tightly managed approach to China ties, ruling out a pre-summit visit to Beijing, favouring continued virtual engagement, and indicating no new push to expand bilateral investment. US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer indicated on Tuesday that preparatory talks with Chinese counterparts would take place virtually, ruling out an in-person... https://www.scmp.com/news/us/article/3349312/only-virtual-talks-no-new-investment-push-xi-trump-summit-greer?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/us/article/3349312/only-virtual-talks-no-new-investment-push-xi-trump-summit-greer?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 07 Apr 2026 21:03:49 +0000 David Dodwell David Dodwell The Trump administration has assured us that the long-awaited summit in Beijing between President Xi Jinping and US President Donald Trump will now be held on May 14 to 15. Whether you believe the meeting will go ahead is up to you. Beijing has not confirmed it, but neither has it contradicted the White House. That is more than can be said for Tehran’s brutal response to White House claims that US-Iran peace negotiations are under way. Even if we take the White House summit claim at face value,... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3348890/3-reasons-xi-trump-summit-wont-be-waste-time-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3348890/3-reasons-xi-trump-summit-wont-be-waste-time-china?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 03 Apr 2026 08:30:08 +0000 Khushboo Razdan Khushboo Razdan Washington’s top trade negotiator suggested on Tuesday that, in a break from usual practice, members of US President Donald Trump’s cabinet will not visit Beijing ahead of the expected mid-May summit with President Xi Jinping to prepare or discuss deliverables. “I don’t think we’re going to need to do that,” Jamieson Greer, US Trade Representative, said in an interview with Bloomberg Television when asked about meeting his Chinese counterparts soon, ahead of the much-anticipated leaders’... https://www.scmp.com/news/us/diplomacy/article/3348590/trump-xi-summit-us-trade-chief-casts-doubt-pre-meeting-beijing-visit?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/us/diplomacy/article/3348590/trump-xi-summit-us-trade-chief-casts-doubt-pre-meeting-beijing-visit?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 31 Mar 2026 20:19:16 +0000 Khushboo Razdan Khushboo Razdan As US President Donald Trump heads to a delayed, high-stakes mid-May summit with President Xi Jinping in Beijing, he is already claiming victory, touting on Friday past trade talks with Xi as a win for American farmers, a crucial electoral bloc battered by his tariffs and the ongoing war with Iran. “Thanks to our trade deals, you’re now sending over US$40 billion in American soybeans to China,” Trump said on Friday, telling farmers and ranchers at the White House he personally secured the... https://www.scmp.com/news/us/diplomacy/article/3348219/trump-pitches-china-trade-win-us-farmers-ahead-xi-meeting-midterms?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/us/diplomacy/article/3348219/trump-pitches-china-trade-win-us-farmers-ahead-xi-meeting-midterms?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 27 Mar 2026 22:21:27 +0000 Amber Wang,Dewey Sim,Laura Zhou Amber Wang,Dewey Sim,Laura Zhou Vladimir Putin is expected to visit China soon after Donald Trump’s trip in May in a diplomatic double-header that would be the first time Beijing has hosted the leaders of the US and Russia in the same month outside a multilateral event. According to Chinese analysts, the back-to-back visits highlight Beijing’s strategic effort to manage relations with both major powers amid rising global turbulence. Trump’s long-planned trip to Beijing was expected to take place from May 14 to 15, the White... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3348148/what-does-it-mean-china-if-donald-trump-and-vladimir-putin-visit-back-back?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3348148/what-does-it-mean-china-if-donald-trump-and-vladimir-putin-visit-back-back?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 27 Mar 2026 15:00:10 +0000 Laura Zhou,Alyssa Chen Laura Zhou,Alyssa Chen Donald Trump’s planned visit to China in May may offer some clues about the preferred US road map for ending the war with Iran, according to Chinese analysts, who said that if the conflict dragged on, it could play into Beijing’s hands. The US president delayed the visit, initially scheduled to start at the end of this month, to focus on the conflict, but said on Wednesday that he would visit Beijing on May 14 and 15. China has yet to confirm the dates and on Thursday foreign ministry spokesman... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3348033/can-donald-trump-end-his-war-iran-time-rescheduled-china-trip?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3348033/can-donald-trump-end-his-war-iran-time-rescheduled-china-trip?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 26 Mar 2026 15:00:09 +0000 Orange Wang Orange Wang US President Donald Trump is expected to aim for an “economic deal” with China when he is in Beijing, according to a former senior diplomat who served under the American leader during his first term. However if Beijing were to drag out trade negotiations with Washington for too long, it could risk Trump taking a much tougher turn against China, warned Stephen Biegun, who served as US deputy secretary of state from 2019 to 2021. “The president wants a deal, an economic deal, specifically,” he... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3348020/trump-eyes-china-deal-dragging-out-talks-risks-backlash-warns-former-diplomat?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3348020/trump-eyes-china-deal-dragging-out-talks-risks-backlash-warns-former-diplomat?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 26 Mar 2026 13:00:13 +0000 Neil Denslow,Raymond Ma Neil Denslow,Raymond Ma US President Donald Trump said he would visit China from May 14 to May 15, including a meeting with President Xi Jinping, after delaying the trip by about six weeks because of the war on Iran. The new schedule is a day shorter than the original three-day visit that was due to start on March 31. China didn’t join the White House in announcing the trip. It rarely makes statements about planned visits more than a few days ahead of the arrival date. “I look very much forward to spending time with... https://www.scmp.com/plus/news/china/diplomacy/article/3347988/trump-sets-new-china-visit-date-iran-war-stokes-economic-risks?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/news/china/diplomacy/article/3347988/trump-sets-new-china-visit-date-iran-war-stokes-economic-risks?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 26 Mar 2026 09:00:29 +0000 Mark Magnier Mark Magnier Beijing’s long-standing geopolitical playbook – stay in your lane, avoid military entanglement, prepare exhaustively and issue bland “win-win” statements about the UN charter and calls to talk not fight – could see China emerge favourably from the Iran war, said economists, analysts and former US officials, as the conflict enters its fourth week with little end in sight and the US barrelling ahead. “People always say that China doesn’t understand the Mideast,” said Jeremy Chan, senior analyst... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3347827/why-chinas-strategy-stay-out-iran-war-working-and-crisis-may-spur-opportunity?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3347827/why-chinas-strategy-stay-out-iran-war-working-and-crisis-may-spur-opportunity?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 25 Mar 2026 22:00:08 +0000 Khushboo Razdan,Mark Magnier Khushboo Razdan,Mark Magnier After weeks of speculation and behind-the-scenes intrigue over the delayed summit between President Xi Jinping and US President Donald Trump, the White House announced on Wednesday new dates for the long-anticipated, high-stakes meeting. “I’m pleased to announce that President Trump’s … long-awaited meeting with President Xi in China will now take place in Beijing on May 14 and 15,” White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt said. In a social media post, Trump described Xi as “the highly respected... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3347914/xi-trump-summit-white-house-locks-new-dates-may?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3347914/xi-trump-summit-white-house-locks-new-dates-may?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 25 Mar 2026 18:46:14 +0000 Xinmei Shen Xinmei Shen US President Donald Trump’s focus on short-term deliverables and Chinese President Xi Jinping’s bid for bilateral stability are likely to mean an exceptionally amicable summit when they finally sit down, despite “unusual” circumstances brought by the Iran conflict, former senior US diplomat Kurt Campbell said. Trump and Xi’s upcoming high-stakes meeting in Beijing, which was postponed for at least five weeks from its original March 31 date, will see both leaders be “extraordinarily polite and... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3347642/former-biden-official-says-trump-xi-summit-will-go-well-amid-unusual-circumstances?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3347642/former-biden-official-says-trump-xi-summit-will-go-well-amid-unusual-circumstances?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 23 Mar 2026 21:01:23 +0000 Khushboo Razdan,Mark Magnier,Dewey Sim Khushboo Razdan,Mark Magnier,Dewey Sim The official line is straightforward: US President Donald Trump asked for a delay to his long-anticipated summit in Beijing with Chinese leader Xi Jinping, and it has been pushed back by “a month or so”. According to the White House, moving the meeting allows Trump to remain in the US and manage the escalating war with Iran, including urgent efforts to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. But beneath the surface, a more complex story emerges: months of growing frustrations, mismatched expectations,... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3347008/what-are-real-reasons-behind-change-date-trumps-china-visit?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3347008/what-are-real-reasons-behind-change-date-trumps-china-visit?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 20 Mar 2026 22:00:08 +0000 Vanessa Cai Vanessa Cai China this week announced a major crackdown on fentanyl precursors, a move widely seen as a gesture of goodwill ahead of President Donald Trump’s planned visit. But analysts warned that while this might address one major US grievance, it remained to be seen whether the United States would reciprocate and help the two sides move on to tackling other serious disputes, such as tariffs. The crackdown in the central province of Hubei started in December and included a raid on a company in the... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3347368/china-offers-us-olive-branch-fentanyl-raids-ahead-possible-trump-visit?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3347368/china-offers-us-olive-branch-fentanyl-raids-ahead-possible-trump-visit?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 20 Mar 2026 12:27:39 +0000 William Zheng William Zheng Republican Senator Steve Daines, a close ally of US President Donald Trump, is expected to visit Hong Kong at the end of this month, according to sources. It would mark the first trip to the city by a sitting US senator since the Covid-19 pandemic. Daines would meet American business leaders in Hong Kong on March 30, the sources said, speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to comment publicly on the matter. The senator from Montana has played a prominent role in... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3347302/trump-ally-steve-daines-will-be-first-sitting-us-senator-visit-hong-kong-2019?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3347302/trump-ally-steve-daines-will-be-first-sitting-us-senator-visit-hong-kong-2019?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 20 Mar 2026 09:00:08 +0000 Josephine Ma Josephine Ma William Klein worked for more than two decades as a US diplomat, including in several senior roles at the United States’ embassy in Beijing from 2016 to 2021. He worked at the American Institute in Taiwan and on the US State Department’s China desk in Washington, and occupied US diplomatic posts in South Asia, the Middle East and the former Soviet Union. He is based in the Berlin office of FGS Global, a consultancy with a focus on US-China and EU-China relationships. SCMP Plus readers get early... https://www.scmp.com/plus/news/china/diplomacy/article/3347242/inside-look-trump-xi-summits-ex-diplomat-william-klein?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/news/china/diplomacy/article/3347242/inside-look-trump-xi-summits-ex-diplomat-william-klein?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 20 Mar 2026 04:30:08 +0000 Mark Magnier Mark Magnier A high-stakes summit between US President Donald Trump and Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi on Thursday appeared to get off to a good start as the two touted the bilateral relationship and pledged to work cooperatively on trade, stabilising the global energy market and regional security. Takaichi was the first US ally to meet face to face with the mercurial president, amid concern that he would take out his anger on her for the large number of security partners who have declined to help... https://www.scmp.com/news/us/diplomacy/article/3347220/trump-talks-japanese-prime-minister-sanae-takaichi-positive-start?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/us/diplomacy/article/3347220/trump-talks-japanese-prime-minister-sanae-takaichi-positive-start?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 19 Mar 2026 17:21:23 +0000 Dewey Sim Dewey Sim Visits to China by foreign leaders are tightly choreographed and meticulously planned affairs, even by the usual standards of international diplomacy. But the chaotic nature of Donald Trump’s White House and his request to delay a planned visit to China in the wake of his decision to attack Iran are widely believed to be causing increasing frustration in Beijing. The South China Morning Post has previously reported that preparations for the visit had been dogged by problems, with the Chinese... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3347055/chaos-over-donald-trumps-china-trip-likely-further-test-beijings-patience-us?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3347055/chaos-over-donald-trumps-china-trip-likely-further-test-beijings-patience-us?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 18 Mar 2026 15:00:09 +0000 Zhang Shidong,Yulu Ao Zhang Shidong,Yulu Ao The prospect of a meeting between President Xi Jinping and US counterpart Donald Trump has become a focal point for investors seeking some reassurance on growth and stability as the conflict in the Middle East dampens appetite for risk. Investors are awaiting clarity on the summit, viewing it as a potential sign of cooperation that could steady mainland China and Hong Kong equities. The meeting had been scheduled for the end of the month, but the White House said it would be postponed by five or... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3346991/investors-eye-xi-trump-summit-direction-hong-kong-china-stocks-shaken-conflict?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3346991/investors-eye-xi-trump-summit-direction-hong-kong-china-stocks-shaken-conflict?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 18 Mar 2026 06:59:48 +0000 Mark Magnier Mark Magnier Thursday’s summit between US President Donald Trump and Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi was supposed to see the two leaders sit down in advance of Trump’s meeting with Chinese leader Xi Jinping to ensure the allies were on the same page. Instead, with the US-China summit postponed and the Israel-US war on Iran going full blast, their meeting is likely to find Japan more on the defensive, according to analysts and former government officials. Takaichi would be trying to finesse shifting... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3346959/delayed-us-china-summit-raises-stakes-takaichi-ahead-white-house-visit?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3346959/delayed-us-china-summit-raises-stakes-takaichi-ahead-white-house-visit?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 18 Mar 2026 04:59:44 +0000 SCMP Editorial SCMP Editorial Washington’s request to reschedule US President Donald Trump’s visit to Beijing reflects the reality that the war in Iran has not followed the script. It was anticipated that superior American power would result in a quick victory over Iran, which China considers a strategic partner and oil supplier, well ahead of a summit with President Xi Jinping. The United States has done all the running in the preparations for the visit, including announcing the dates of March 31 to April 2. China had made... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3346909/china-policy-stay-course-despite-delay-xi-trump-summit?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3346909/china-policy-stay-course-despite-delay-xi-trump-summit?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 17 Mar 2026 23:15:11 +0000 Alyssa Chen,Vanessa Cai Alyssa Chen,Vanessa Cai 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... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3346923/why-trumps-china-trip-delay-could-open-door-more-substantive-results?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3346923/why-trumps-china-trip-delay-could-open-door-more-substantive-results?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 17 Mar 2026 15:00:11 +0000 Lawrence Chung Lawrence Chung A possible delay in the planned summit between Donald Trump and Xi Jinping later this month has raised concerns about a pending record US arms sale to Taiwan, though officials in Taipei insist the deal remains on track. Reuters reported on Friday that the US$14 billion arms package – possibly the largest ever for Taiwan – was ready for the US president’s approval and could be announced after his visit to Beijing. The package is expected to include advanced air-defence systems such as Patriot... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3346914/will-postponed-trump-xi-summit-affect-us-arms-sales-taiwan?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3346914/will-postponed-trump-xi-summit-affect-us-arms-sales-taiwan?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 17 Mar 2026 12:01:21 +0000 Neil Denslow,Raymond Ma Neil Denslow,Raymond Ma US President Donald Trump said he had asked China to postpone his planned trip to Beijing by “a month or so” due to the war in Iran. “I think it’s important that I be here,” Trump told reporters in the White House on Monday. “So it could be that we delay a little bit, not much.” The visit, including a summit with President Xi Jinping, is scheduled to take place from March 31 to April 2. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent dismissed suggestions that the potential delay was designed to pressure... https://www.scmp.com/plus/news/china/diplomacy/article/3346883/trump-xi-summit-delay-may-suit-china-amid-iran-war?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/news/china/diplomacy/article/3346883/trump-xi-summit-delay-may-suit-china-amid-iran-war?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 17 Mar 2026 09:00:22 +0000 Shi Jiangtao Shi Jiangtao Trump’s threat to postpone his Beijing trip unless China helps break Iran’s blockade of the Strait of Hormuz has fused two crises Beijing had sought to keep apart: the unravelling of Middle East stability and the fragile thaw in US–China relations. China, the world’s largest buyer of Gulf oil, is now being forced to weigh its economic reliance on stable energy routes against its tradition of non‑interference in diplomacy, according to observers. While Beijing is eager to host Trump for a... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3346792/china-under-pressure-trump-ties-high-stakes-summit-strait-hormuz-crisis?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3346792/china-under-pressure-trump-ties-high-stakes-summit-strait-hormuz-crisis?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 16 Mar 2026 15:00:10 +0000 Dewey Sim Dewey Sim China said on Monday it was still talking to the United States about President Donald Trump’s planned visit later this month, following his threat to delay the trip. Trump has been trying to pressure countries that rely heavily on oil from the Persian Gulf to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a strategic waterway that Iran has effectively closed in retaliation for US and Israeli attacks. On Sunday, he told the Financial Times “it’s only appropriate that people who are the beneficiaries of the... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3346770/china-were-still-talking-us-about-trump-trip-after-threat-delay-over-iran-crisis?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3346770/china-were-still-talking-us-about-trump-trip-after-threat-delay-over-iran-crisis?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 16 Mar 2026 10:33:48 +0000 Neil Denslow,Raymond Ma Neil Denslow,Raymond Ma US President Donald Trump said he may put off a planned visit to Beijing as he sought to press China and other nations into helping reopen the Strait of Hormuz amid the war in Iran. “We may delay” the trip, he told the Financial Times on Sunday, without saying for how long. The visit, scheduled for March 31 to April 2, includes a summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping. Trump has “demanded” that about seven countries help to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, he told reporters on Sunday, as the... https://www.scmp.com/plus/news/china/diplomacy/article/3346744/china-may-snub-trump-plea-help-strait-hormuz?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/news/china/diplomacy/article/3346744/china-may-snub-trump-plea-help-strait-hormuz?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 16 Mar 2026 09:04:14 +0000 Xiaofei Xu Xiaofei Xu Senior officials from China and the United States have started a new round of trade talks in Paris, as the two sides seek to pave the way for US President Donald Trump’s expected visit to Beijing later this month. The delegations – led by Chinese Vice-Premier He Lifeng and US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent – arrived at the headquarters of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) on Sunday. Talks began at 10.05am local time, according to a source familiar with the... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3346652/china-and-us-begin-fresh-round-trade-talks-paris?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3346652/china-and-us-begin-fresh-round-trade-talks-paris?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 15 Mar 2026 08:53:39 +0000 Cao Jiaxuan Cao Jiaxuan Beijing on Friday warned Washington against making moves involving Hong Kong or Taiwan ahead of the expected visit by US President Donald Trump later this month. It condemned US calls for the release of jailed former Hong Kong media boss Jimmy Lai Chee-ying and reiterated opposition to American arms sales to Taiwan. Speaking at a regular press briefing, Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun said Lai “should be severely punished according to the law”, and accused external forces of... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3346526/beijing-warns-us-over-jimmy-lai-hong-kong-and-taiwan-arms-sales-ahead-trump-visit?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3346526/beijing-warns-us-over-jimmy-lai-hong-kong-and-taiwan-arms-sales-ahead-trump-visit?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 13 Mar 2026 11:30:43 +0000 Raymond Ma,Neil Denslow Raymond Ma,Neil Denslow United States and Chinese trade negotiators will meet in Paris on Sunday and Monday, seeking to ready a deal ahead of US President Donald Trump’s visit to Beijing at the end of the month. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Trade Representative Jamieson Greer will meet Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng, according to US and Chinese government statements. Neither side gave specific details about the discussions. The sixth round of Bessent-He trade talks comes amid volatility in oil markets due to... https://www.scmp.com/plus/economy/china-economy/article/3346494/trade-talks-raising-lobsters-tech-earnings?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/economy/china-economy/article/3346494/trade-talks-raising-lobsters-tech-earnings?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 13 Mar 2026 09:00:59 +0000 Neil Denslow Neil Denslow This year’s ‘two sessions’, China’s biggest annual political gathering, featured the announcement of the lowest GDP growth target in decades and official approval for the 15th five-year plan. SCMP Plus hosted a webinar to discuss these developments with three experts from the Asia Society Policy Institute’s Center for China Analysis. Other topics included the upcoming US-China presidential summit, President Xi Jinping’s purge of the military and efforts to reshape the economy. The panel... https://www.scmp.com/plus/economy/article/3346449/two-sessions-webinar?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/economy/article/3346449/two-sessions-webinar?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 13 Mar 2026 05:18:50 +0000