Trump Aims to Press Xi Over China’s Approach to War in Iran

President Donald Trump is expected to press President Xi Jinping over China’s approach to Iran and hammer out details on a new board of trade when they meet this week in Beijing, senior US officials said Sunday.

Taiwan is also expected to be on the agenda, but no changes in US policy toward the self-governing island are expected, one of the officials told reporters on a conference call, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive preparations for the summit. US concerns about artificial intelligence and a potential new channel of communication with China on that issue would also be discussed, the two officials said.

Trump and Xi are scheduled for talks on Thursday and Friday in Beijing as they wrestle with strong disagreements over trade and the US-Israeli war with Iran. The first official said revenue that China provides to Iran as well as potential weapons exports would be among the topics discussed. China is a major purchaser of Iranian oil.

Trump, who considers himself a deal-maker, will likely want to announce planned purchases by Beijing of US goods as well.

“President Trump will continue doing what he has done over the past year: rebalancing the relationship with China and prioritizing reciprocity and fairness to restore American economic independence,” White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly told reporters at the beginning of the call. “The American people can expect the president to deliver more good deals on behalf of our country.”

Kelly said the two sides would continue to work on proposals to establish a board of trade, which would govern exchanges between the two countries of non-sensitive goods, and a board of investment. Agreements on agriculture, aerospace and energy would also be discussed. 

One of the senior US officials said the two sides would continue discussions on Chinese purchases in those sectors and that announcements could come during or shortly after Trump’s visit. There are no current plans to create a major new Chinese investment program, the official added.

Trump, who arrives in China on Wednesday evening, will take part in a welcoming ceremony on Thursday morning followed by a meeting with Xi, Kelly said. The US president will tour the Temple of Heaven in the afternoon and take part in a state banquet Thursday evening. The two leaders will have tea and a working lunch on Friday before Trump departs China.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said earlier on Sunday he will meet his Chinese counterpart, He Lifeng, in Seoul on Wednesday. China’s Commerce Ministry confirmed the pre-summit talks and said the two sides will hold economic and trade consultations.

Top White House economic adviser Kevin Hassett told Fox News’ Sunday Morning Futures that Trump and Xi will be making deals through the summit.

“Exactly how those deals look will depend on how the meetings progress,” Hassett said. “But my expectation, given the strong relationship between the two presidents, is that there will be lots of good news for American workers and firms and farmers.”

With assistance from María Paula Mijares Torres and Se Young Lee.

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