11 articles · Updated · The Wall Street Journal · May 6
The White House has not released a detailed itinerary, but the trip was delayed from March 31-April 2 after Trump said the Iran war required him to stay in Washington.
Iran is expected to dominate talks as Tehran's foreign minister visits Beijing and China, a major buyer of Iranian oil, calls for an immediate ceasefire and safer Hormuz Strait passage.
Trump and Xi are also likely to address trade, Taiwan and technology tensions, while the US military's Middle East deployments raise questions about readiness for any near-term Asia crisis.
Is the U.S. military too stretched by the Iran war to deter a potential Chinese attack on Taiwan?
Is China playing peacemaker in the Iran war, or secretly fueling the conflict to undermine American power?
Caught between U.S. and Chinese ambitions, can Taiwan's vital chip industry survive the escalating geopolitical storm?
How the Iran War Shifted US-China Power Ahead of the Postponed 2026 Summit
Overview
The Iran conflict has severely destabilized the Middle East, causing over 2,000 fatalities and disrupting vital oil transit routes through the Strait of Hormuz, which led to a sharp rise in global energy prices. This crisis forced the U.S. to postpone the Trump-Xi summit originally planned for early 2026 and shift its focus to managing the Middle East, stretching its military and financial resources. Meanwhile, China has taken advantage of the situation by rejecting U.S. sanctions on its oil refineries and imposing strict supply chain regulations, demonstrating economic resilience. Observing U.S. military operations, China gains strategic insights, while the Global South increasingly favors a multipolar world, enhancing China's diplomatic leverage ahead of renewed U.S.-China talks.