Hegseth Joins Trump’s China Trip for Xi Talks on 3 Flashpoints

7 articles · Updated · The New York Times · May 12

Pete Hegseth said Tuesday he will accompany President Donald Trump to China this week, joining a delegation that also includes Secretary of State Marco Rubio and more than a dozen CEOs.
Three issues are expected to dominate Trump’s meeting with Xi Jinping: the war in Iran, trade and Taiwan, with Hegseth traveling in his usual role advising the president and representing the U.S. military.
China enters the talks angered by the U.S. military blockade on Iranian shipping; Xi has pressed Washington to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, which carries about one-third of China’s oil and gas imports.
U.S.-China security tensions remain high ahead of the visit, with a senior Pentagon official saying Tuesday that China is still a top threat despite the administration’s recent defense emphasis on the Western Hemisphere.

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