President Donald Trump may postpone his planned visit to China as the escalating conflict with Iran continues to dominate the administration’s focus, with officials indicating that scheduling changes could occur while the US manages the unfolding crisis in the Middle East.
Speaking on Monday, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said that if the visit scheduled for later this month is pushed back, it would not be linked to disagreements with Beijing regarding the war in Iran or efforts to restore shipping through the strategic Strait of Hormuz.
“If the meeting for some reason was rescheduled, it would be rescheduled because of logistics,” the secretary said on CNBC. “The president wants to remain in D.C. to coordinate the war, and traveling abroad at a time like this may not be optimal.”
China trip timing uncertain
Trump has indicated that the trip to Beijing could be delayed as Washington seeks broader international cooperation to secure oil tanker movement through the Strait of Hormuz following threats from Iran that have disrupted global energy flows.
In an interview with the Financial Times, the US president suggested China’s dependence on Middle Eastern oil means it should consider joining an international effort aimed at restoring stability in the waterway.
“We may delay,” he said in the interview.
The possibility of postponing the meeting underscores how the ongoing conflict involving Iran and US-backed strikes has reshaped diplomatic priorities in recent weeks. A delay could also carry economic implications, given already strained relations between Washington and Beijing amid tariff threats over the past year.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt acknowledged that the dates for the visit may shift, though the administration still intends for the trip to take place.
“At this point, the president looks forward to visiting China. The dates may be moved,” Leavitt told reporters at the White House on Monday. “As commander in chief, it’s his number one priority right now to ensure the continued success of this Operation Epic Fury.”
Oil routes and trade talks in focus
Officials in Beijing said communication with Washington regarding the potential visit remains ongoing. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian highlighted the significance of leadership-level engagement between the two countries.
“Head-of-state diplomacy plays an irreplaceable strategic guiding role in China-US relations,” Lin Jian said at a daily briefing.
Meanwhile, Bessent was in Paris holding trade discussions with Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng, talks that were originally intended to lay groundwork for Trump’s Beijing visit. The two sides have recently agreed to a temporary truce preventing the imposition of new tariffs after months of escalating trade tensions.
“We had a very good two days here,” Bessent said, adding a statement “reaffirming the stability” between the two countries would be issued “in the next few days.”
The Iran conflict has also renewed concerns about global energy markets. Earlier in the crisis, Trump had said US naval vessels could escort oil tankers through the Strait of Hormuz, which links the Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Oman and is one of the world’s most vital energy shipping routes.
Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, the president said Washington has approached several countries to support maritime security operations in the region.
“China’s an interesting case study,” he said, noting its reliance on Gulf oil. “So I said, Would you like to come in’ and we’ll find out. Maybe they will, maybe they won’t.”
Rising oil prices amid the conflict have pushed up fuel costs in the United States at a politically sensitive time as the midterm election cycle approaches. However, Bessent played down concerns about long-term market disruption.
“I don’t know how many weeks it will be, but on the other side of this, the world will be safer, and we will be better supplied,” Bessent said on CNBC.
He also said the Treasury Department has not intervened in oil futures markets to control prices and questioned under what authority such action would take place if considered.
Separately, China has slightly lowered its 2026 economic growth target to between 4.5% and 5%, the slowest pace projected since 1991, underscoring the potential economic impact of prolonged disruptions to energy supplies.
Lin reiterated Beijing’s call for de-escalation in the region.
“China once again calls on all parties to stop military actions immediately, avoid further escalation of tensions, and prevent instability in the region from having a greater impact on global economic development,” he said.