Trump to Press Xi on Iran, Trade at Beijing Summit

President Donald Trump is set to focus on Iran and trade when he meets Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing this week.

Trump plans to make China’s Iran policy a central topic of the summit and directly raise issues including oil purchases and potential weapons support, Bloomberg reported on May 10, citing senior US administration officials. China is a major importer of Iranian crude, and Washington views that trade as a key variable in Middle East tensions.

Resetting trade relations between the two countries will also be a central agenda item. US officials are seeking an agreement that includes larger Chinese purchases of American goods, with talks also expected to cover cooperation in agriculture, aviation and energy.

The two sides are also discussing the creation of a board of trade to manage commerce in non-sensitive goods, as well as a separate consultative body for investment cooperation. No specific plan for a large new investment program has emerged.

Taiwan is also expected to be on the agenda, though longstanding US policy is not expected to change. The leaders are also due to discuss possible cooperation on artificial intelligence and the establishment of communication channels in the sector.

Trump is scheduled to arrive in China on the evening of May 11 and hold summit talks with Xi on May 12 and May 13. The two countries’ finance authorities also plan advance consultations to coordinate on economic and trade issues.

The White House said the meeting aims to rebalance economic relations based on “fairness and reciprocity.”