The US president has postponed his visit to China from March 31 to April 2 to focus on the escalating war with Iran.
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Published March 16, 2026
US President Donald Trump has said he is delaying his long-awaited visit to China in early April by about a month, citing the US and Israel’s war against Iran.
“We have asked for a delay of about a month,” President Trump told reporters at the White House on Monday.
“And there are no tricks,” he added. “It’s very simple. There’s a war going on. I think it’s important that I’m here.”
The Chinese embassy in Washington, D.C., did not respond to a request for comment.
President Trump’s request to postpone his planned trip from March 31 to April 2 to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping underscores how the Iran war has changed his foreign policy agenda.
There is also a risk of escalating tensions between the United States and China, as trade, Taiwan and the war against Iran are added to the range of issues that divide the world’s two largest economies.
“The president is looking forward to visiting China,” White House press secretary Caroline Levitt told reporters.
“The dates are subject to change. As Commander-in-Chief, the continued success of this Operation Epic Fury is my top priority at this time, so I will communicate the dates as soon as possible.”
Tensions have been rising in the Middle East since February 28, when the United States and Israel launched a major attack on Iran, killing more than 1,200 people, including Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei.
On Sunday, President Trump told the Financial Times that the talks could be postponed if China does not help lift the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, which Iran claims is closed to U.S. and Israeli-linked vessels.
President Trump has called on many countries, including China, to help ships safely pass through the Strait of Hormuz, through which one-fifth of the world’s oil normally passes. Most of President Trump’s requests have so far been denied. China, which imported about 12 million barrels a day of crude oil in the first two months of 2026, the most in the world, has not responded directly to his request.
U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said earlier Monday that Trump’s visit may need to be postponed to adjust the war effort, not because China has not responded to Trump’s demands or because of trade disagreements.
“The president wants to remain in Washington, D.C., to coordinate the war effort,” Bessent said. “It may not be the best time to travel abroad at a time like this.”
Bessent made the comments from Paris, where he was visiting China for trade negotiations with Vice Premier He Lifeng.
In talks that began Sunday, the Chinese side expressed openness to the possibility of additional purchases of U.S. agricultural products, including poultry, beef and legumes other than soybeans, sources said before the second day of talks.
The two leaders also discussed rare earth mineral flows, which are primarily controlled by China, and new approaches to managing trade and investment between the two countries.
