Trump to Discuss Iran During Meeting with Xi Jinping

US President Donald Trump has openly stated that he will discuss the Iran war during a face-to-face meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping, scheduled in Beijing next week. Trump is also seeking to quell rumours of friction between the two leaders regarding the Iran conflict. Speaking to reporters at the White House, as reported by the Japan Times on Wednesday (6/5/2026), Trump described Xi as highly “respectful” towards Iran, which is indeed a Chinese ally. He also offered praise for the Chinese leader. When asked by reporters about what he aims to achieve with Xi regarding Iran during their direct meeting, Trump replied: “That will be one of the topics, but he is very good about this.” “He is very respectful. We have not been challenged by China,” Trump stated. Nevertheless, he acknowledged that Beijing is a significant importer of Iranian oil – whose supplies have been disrupted by the war. “They are not challenging us. He won’t do that. I think he won’t do that because of me, but I think he is very respectful,” Trump said again, praising Xi. Trump and Xi are scheduled to meet in Beijing on 14-15 May, when the US President will undertake a long-delayed state visit. This visit has been rescheduled from its original date planned for late March, following US and Israeli strikes against Iran in a conflict that has spread across the Middle East. This summit is taking place amid fresh turbulence in relations between the world’s two largest economies due to the Iran war. The conflict has largely shut down energy flows through the Strait of Hormuz, a vital waterway for global oil and gas supplies. The situation has prompted many countries, including China which imports crude oil, to take measures to prevent domestic supply shortages. The US has also imposed sanctions on Chinese oil refineries that process Iranian oil, as Washington seeks to increase pressure on Tehran to reach an agreement to end the war. Trump recently hinted that China might be providing aid to Iran. He also claimed that the US had intercepted a “gift” intended for Iran. Plans for the Trump-Xi meeting have been prepared by officials from both countries for months, including discussions on establishing a new bilateral mechanism to help manage economic relations. However, the impact of the Middle East conflict has raised new questions about the status of the summit between the US and Chinese leaders.