US President Donald Trump has postponed a visit to Beijing due to the Iran war, while also seeking China’s help in reopening the Strait of Hormuz.
Published March 18, 2026
US President Donald Trump has confirmed he is postponing plans for a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping later this month, as the US and Israel’s war against Iran continues to dominate the US government’s focus.
“We’re going to reset the talks,” Trump told reporters at the White House on Tuesday. “We are working with China. China has responded without any problem.”
Recommended stories
list of 4 itemsend of list
Trump’s comments about wanting to remain in Washington come as the war with Iran enters its third week and the Strait of Hormuz remains closed to nearly all shipping worldwide.
“Because of the war, I want to be here. I have to be here,” Trump said.
President Trump was scheduled to visit Beijing from March 31st to April 2nd. The president said he now plans to visit within “about five weeks,” or around the end of April. His last official visit to China was in 2017 during his first term.
China’s Foreign Ministry said Tuesday that the United States and China “continue to communicate” about President Trump’s visit plans.
Trump and Xi were expected to discuss a wide range of issues, from trade tariffs and China’s export controls on rare earth minerals and magnets to U.S.-Taiwan relations and China’s fentanyl exports.
The U.S.-China trade war was paused in October when Mr. Xi and Mr. Trump signed a ceasefire agreement after talks in South Korea, and both countries are working toward a more comprehensive trade deal to resolve the dispute.
China and Mr. Xi were in President Trump’s sights at the start of his second term last year, but the president’s stance toward both countries has softened since his meeting with the Chinese leader in South Korea.
“I look forward to meeting President Xi, and I think President Xi is looking forward to meeting me,” Trump said from the White House. “We have a very good relationship with China. It’s very different from the past.”
President Trump also indicated he was seeking Chinese help in reopening the Strait of Hormuz, which has been largely blocked by Tehran since the United States and Israel began their war against Iran 19 days ago.
The waterway is a key route for global trade and Middle East oil exports, and its closure and fuel supply restrictions have led to wild swings in oil prices.
President Trump told the Financial Times that China is among a group of countries that should encourage Tehran to reopen the strait.
President Trump has previously accused Iran and China of being part of an “axis of authoritarianism” due to their close economic ties, as China is Iran’s largest trading partner. China also provides Tehran with critical technology to support electronic warfare, some of which has been made public in recent weeks.
Ali Wine, a senior researcher on U.S.-China relations at the International Crisis Group, said if the war continues with the strait closed, Trump could be at a disadvantage in his next meeting with Xi.
Advocates of the Trump administration’s foreign policy had hoped that the US campaign against Iran, dubbed Operation Epic Fury, would “strengthen President Trump’s negotiating stance with President Xi by highlighting his willingness to take dramatic and unexpected actions,” Wein said.
“But that strategy quickly boomeranged. President Trump, facing the most severe oil supply shock in history, is now urging Mr. Xi to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz, the world’s most important waterway.”
