Beijing stated on Monday that it wants to work with the United States to achieve "greater stability" in international relations, ahead of President Donald Trump's visit to China this week for a three-day summit with Xi Jinping.
The visit, scheduled from Wednesday to Friday, was initially planned for late March but was postponed due to the war in the Middle East.
This is the first time since 2017 (during Trump's first term) that a U.S. president has visited China. Trump's successor, Joe Biden, did not travel to the Asian giant during his four years in office.
Trade relations will dominate the discussions, following a year of confrontation marked by tariffs and restrictions.
Prior to the Xi-Trump summit, trade negotiators from both countries – Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng and U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent – are scheduled to meet in Seoul.
In October, Xi and Trump agreed to a temporary truce in the trade war, and they may extend it during the visit.
In addition to trade, the crisis in the Middle East, triggered by the February 28th attack by Israel and the United States on Iran, will be another key topic of the summit.
"China intends to work with the United States on an equal footing, in a spirit of respect and concern for mutual interests, in order to develop cooperation, manage differences, and contribute to greater stability and certainty in the world..."
AI Brief
Your highlights
Photograph of U.S. President Donald Trump. EFE/EPA/WILL OLIVER
Beijing wants to work with the United States to achieve "greater stability" in international relations, the Chinese government said on Monday, ahead of Donald Trump's visit to China this week for a three-day summit with Xi Jinping. The visit, scheduled for Wednesday to Friday, was initially planned for late March but was postponed due to the war in the Middle East. This is the first time since 2017 (during Trump's first term) that a U.S. president has visited China. Joe Biden, his successor, did not travel to the Asian giant during his four years in office. Trade relations will dominate the discussions, following a year of confrontation based on tariffs and restrictions. Before the Xi-Trump summit, trade negotiators from both countries – Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng and U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent – are scheduled to meet in Seoul. U.S. President Donald Trump shakes hands with Chinese President Xi Jinping during a bilateral meeting at Gimhae International Airport, on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Busan, South Korea, October 30, 2025. REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein/Archive photo. In October, Xi and Trump agreed on a temporary truce in the trade war and could extend it during the visit. In addition to trade, the crisis in the Middle East, triggered by the February 28 attack by Israel and the United States on Iran, will be another topic of the summit. "China intends to work with the United States on an equal footing, in a spirit of respect and concern for mutual interests, in order to develop cooperation, manage differences, and contribute to greater stability and certainty in an unstable and interdependent world," said Guo Jiakun, a spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, on Monday. The Asian giant is directly affected by the war in the Middle East and the closure of the strategic Strait of Hormuz, through which 20% of the world's gas and oil usually passes. Anna Kelly, Deputy Executive Spokesperson, said that Trump will arrive in China on Wednesday evening. In October, Xi and Trump agreed on a temporary truce in the trade war and could extend it during the visit. REUTERS/Brian Snyder. On Thursday morning, a welcome ceremony and a bilateral meeting with Xi will be held in Beijing, followed by a visit to the Temple of Heaven that same afternoon, and a state banquet in the evening, Kelly detailed. Subsequently, on Friday, Trump and Xi will hold a bilateral meeting with tea and a working lunch before the U.S. leader returns to Washington. China is a primary economic and political partner for Iran and the main importer of its oil. More than half of the crude oil imports transported by sea to China come from the Middle East and mainly transit through the strait, according to the Kpler analysis firm. China, highly dependent on international trade, is beginning to feel the effects of the war, although it seems better equipped than its neighbors to cope with it. Ships in the Strait of Hormuz, Musandam, Oman, May 8, 2026. REUTERS/Stringer. Experts point out that Xi is facing the summit in a relatively strong position compared to a Donald Trump embroiled in the Middle East conflict and subject to increasing pressure from the U.S. midterm elections in November. Since the beginning of the war at the end of February, Beijing has moderated its criticism of the United States and its support for Iran. Guo Jiakun, the Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson, on Monday, limited himself to saying that Beijing will continue to play a "positive" role in efforts to resolve the crisis. The U.S. State Department had announced sanctions on Friday against three companies based in China, accused of supplying satellite imagery used by Iran in its conflict with the United States. Guo Jiakun responded that China is against "illegal unilateral sanctions." Chinese President Xi Jinping attends a signing ceremony with Mozambican President Daniel Chapo (not pictured) at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China, April 21, 2026. Haruna Furuhashi/Pool via REUTERS. "The most urgent thing is to prevent the conflict from resuming, not to instrumentalize it to slander other countries," he said. The U.S. Treasury has also sanctioned several companies from mainland China and Hong Kong for their alleged contribution to arming Iran. Analysts doubt that Beijing will yield to "U.S. pressure on Iran. China should seek concrete achievements during the summit, even if they are minimal, for example in the area of tariffs, according to experts. (with information from AFP)