China, US communicating dates for Trump’s visit to Beijing: Foreign Ministry

ISTANBUL

China on Tuesday said it was communicating with the US over dates for President Donald Trump’s visit to Beijing.

Beijing’s statement came after US President Donald Trump on Monday said that he has asked to postpone his scheduled trip to China by around a month as his administration deals with the military operation against Iran.

“China and the US are in communication on President Trump’s visit to China, … including the dates,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian told reporters in Beijing.

Trump had said Washington was “speaking” to Beijing over his trip, which the White House had earlier announced would take place between March 31 and April 02.

“I'd love to, but because of the war, I want to be here. I have to be here, I feel,” Trump told reporters. The US has "a very good relationship" with China, he added.

The possible delay comes amid the ongoing US-Israeli attacks on Iran that began on Feb. 28, triggering retaliation by Tehran, including the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, which remains under de facto control of Iran.

Asked if the trip was being delayed because Iran closed the critical shipping lane which roughly handles 20% of the global supply, Lin pushed back.

“We noted the US has publicly made clarifications on misguided media reports, calling them completely false,” said the ministry spokesman.

“The US side stressed that the visit is not linked to the issue of the Strait of Hormuz,” he added.

On Sunday, the US president had called on China, France, Japan, South Korea, and the UK to join what he described as a “team effort” to keep the Strait of Hormuz open by sending warships, though no country has so far publicly committed to the plan.

Tensions in the Middle East remain high since the US and Israel initiated a large-scale military campaign against Iran, so far killing more than 1,200 people, including then-Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.

Iran has retaliated with drone and missile strikes targeting Israel, Jordan, Iraq, and Gulf countries hosting US military assets.