Trump Delays Trip to China Amid Iran War Concerns

Tue Mar 17 2026 18:20:08 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

US President Donald Trump announced a delay to his upcoming visit to China due to the ongoing conflict in Iran, highlighting the challenges in his diplomatic agenda.

President Trump has decided to postpone his scheduled meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping originally set for late March to wrap up his commitments in overseeing the Iran conflict. While the US and China are in discussions about the new timing of the meeting, Trump emphasized that his focus remains on managing the war and its implications on global oil supplies. China has dismissed any connections between the meeting's timing and issues related to the Strait of Hormuz.

Trump Delays Trip to China Amid Iran War Concerns

US President Donald Trump said on Monday that he is planning to delay a high stakes visit to China later in March by about a month because of the Iran war. 'We've requested that we delay it a month or so,' he told reporters at the White House, adding that it was important that he remained available to oversee the war.

The meeting between Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping is currently set to take place between March 31 and April 2, following their last face-to-face talks in October last year.

Chinese foreign affairs spokesman Lin Jian said on Tuesday that Beijing and Washington are in talks over the timing and related matters of President Trump's visit to China. China also rejected any connection between the delayed meeting and issues around the Strait of Hormuz - a critical waterway for global energy shipments from the Gulf.

'We have noted that the US side has publicly clarified these false reports by the media,' Jian said, emphasizing that the visit has nothing to do with the open navigation of the Strait of Hormuz.

On Sunday, Trump told the Financial Times he might postpone the meeting if China did not help unblock the Strait of Hormuz. However, he later stated that he proposed the delay solely to ensure he was present to manage the ongoing war. 'I'm looking forward to being with him [Xi]. We have a very good relationship,' Trump remarked.

The Iran war has overshadowed most of Trump's other foreign policy priorities, effectively sidelining matters of trade and diplomacy as the conflict continues to escalate and disrupt global oil supplies. Meanwhile, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent noted that the postponement of the meeting is not related to China's assistance in the Gulf or any trade disputes.

Washington has also indicated that it would investigate various trade practices among several nations, including China, following legal complications with the Supreme Court on Trump's tariff policies. Recent negotiations between US and Chinese representatives have taken place in Paris, with some issues reaching consensus despite rising tensions driven by the Iran war.