President Trump announced that Chinese leader Xi Jinping would visit Washington in the near future as trade tensions between the U.S. and China continue.
“Xi will be coming in the ‘not too distant future,’” Trump said Monday while attending a board meeting at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.
Trump has intensified his trade stance against China, raising tariffs on Chinese imports to 20%, a move he says is a response to Beijing’s failure to curb the flow of illegal fentanyl and its precursor chemicals.
The Wall Street Journal previously reported that U.S. and Chinese officials were discussing a potential “birthday summit” in June, where the two leaders—who both have mid-June birthdays—could meet for the first time since Trump’s return to the White House. Trump did not specify a date for the potential meeting.
Talks between the two nations remain stalled at lower levels, with disagreements over how to proceed. Beijing has said Washington has not outlined specific steps it expects from China regarding fentanyl in exchange for lifting tariffs. Trump’s team denies this, saying messages were sent to China through diplomatic channels.
China has responded with limited retaliatory tariffs compared to its actions during Trump’s first term. After Trump doubled tariffs on Chinese imports earlier this month, Beijing imposed levies of up to 15% on U.S. agricultural goods and banned trade with certain defense companies.
Despite the rising tensions, Trump has said he is open to new trade negotiations with China. He has often spoken favorably of Xi, with whom he brokered a 2020 trade deal that included commitments from China to address intellectual property theft and purchase an additional $200 billion in U.S. goods.
Trump and Xi last spoke in January, shortly before Trump’s second inauguration. Trump later said he spoke with Xi again after taking office but did not provide details. A Chinese foreign ministry spokesman referred questions to the January conversation.
