Xi Jiping Plans Washington Visit in Near Future

Chinese President Xi Jinping is set to visit Washington, a trip confirmed by President Donald Trump during a board meeting at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts on Monday.

While no official date has been announced, the meeting could take place in June, potentially aligning with both leaders’ birthdays—prompting some officials to dub it a “birthday summit.”

If it materialises, this would mark their first face-to-face meeting since 2018.

The visit comes amid heightened tensions, with Trump escalating his trade war by raising tariffs on Chinese imports to 20%.

The White House asserts this move is a direct response to Beijing’s failure to curb illegal fentanyl trafficking and its chemical precursors.

China, however, strongly refutes the claim, arguing that the US is using the fentanyl issue as a pretext for economic pressure.

With both sides entrenched, the diplomatic standoff shows no clear path to resolution.

Trump Raises Tariffs, China Seeks Trade Negotiations

China’s Foreign Ministry has accused Trump of using the fentanyl crisis as a pretext for imposing trade penalties.

Officials from Beijing’s Public Security Ministry argue that China has already taken significant action to curb the drug trade, with one Foreign Ministry representative asserting that Washington should be thanking Beijing instead of escalating tariffs.

The official urged the Trump administration to resume trade negotiations.

Trump, however, remains firm, insisting that China has not done enough to stop fentanyl trafficking.

Beijing, in turn, claims the US has failed to provide a clear roadmap outlining its expectations.

According to a source familiar with the discussions, Washington has sent diplomatic messages, but China remains frustrated by the lack of specificity.

Beyond fentanyl, the trade war is intensifying.

Last week, Trump imposed a 25% tariff on steel and aluminum imports, with broader reciprocal tariffs set to follow next month against countries with unfair trade barriers.

In response, China has introduced 15% tariffs on US agricultural products and restricted trade with certain US defense firms, though its countermeasures have been more restrained than in previous disputes.

Complicated History of Xi and Trump

Trump has signalled openness to a new trade deal with China, but Beijing remains wary.

In 2020, both sides signed an agreement in which China pledged to curb intellectual property theft and boost US imports by $200 billion.

However, the deal unravelled amidst the COVID-19 pandemic—an event Trump continues to blame on China—leaving relations strained.

The two leaders last spoke in January, days before Trump’s inauguration, discussing trade, TikTok’s US operations, and the fentanyl crisis.

Trump later claimed they spoke again in February, though Beijing has only confirmed the January call.

With a Washington meeting on the horizon, both sides must navigate these unresolved tensions.

While some officials suggest it could take place as a “birthday summit” in June, no official confirmation has been made.