by Our Correspondent in Washington DC
U.S. President Donald Trump may visit China as early as April, multiple diplomatic sources have revealed, as both leaders seek to claim a diplomatic victory despite rising tensions in an ongoing trade war.
According to sources familiar with preliminary discussions, Trump has expressed interest in hosting Chinese President Xi Jinping at his Mar-a-Lago estate. However, Beijing appears to favour a more formal setting, such as the Chinese capital or Washington, D.C.
While the specifics of a potential meeting remain uncertain, insiders suggest that Beijing is navigating a more complex diplomatic landscape under Trump’s new administration. “It is more difficult for Beijing officials to talk to their counterparts in Washington now than in the Biden administration, as Washington is going through drastic changes,” a Chinese source said.
Trump, who returned to office on January 20, spoke with Xi just days before his inauguration, discussing a broad range of issues. The potential meeting signals an attempt to re-engage on trade and geopolitical tensions, but it remains to be seen whether the two leaders can reach meaningful agreements amid escalating economic hostilities.
