US President Donald Trump has said he wants to postpone a “long-awaited trip” to China and a planned summit with Chinese leader Xi Jinping because of the war against Iran.
“We’ve asked to postpone it for about a month,” Trump told reporters at the White House on 16 March.
Trump was scheduled to visit Beijing from 31 March to 2 April. The trip was expected to focus heavily on trade talks between Trump and Xi.
“Because of the war, I want to be here, I have to be here, I feel”, the US president said.
At the same time, the US leader emphasised that he has a “very good relationship” with China.
The Chinese side has not yet commented on the possible postponement of the visit.
On 15 March, Trump told the Financial Times that he might postpone his meeting with Xi if China does not help unblock the Strait of Hormuz, an important oil transport route that Iran has effectively closed amid a war with the United States and Israel. “I think China should also help because China gets 90 per cent of its oil from the strait,” the US president said.