US President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that he may travel to China “not too far into the future” to meet with President Xi Jinping, signalling a potential diplomatic thaw amid intense trade negotiations and geopolitical tensions.Speaking alongside Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr at the White House, Trump confirmed that Xi had extended an invitation. “President Xi has invited me to China, and we’ll probably be doing that in the not-too-distant future,” he told reporters. “It’s a little bit out, but not too distant”, Trump added.According to CNA, while no final plans have been announced, sources familiar with the matter cited by news agency Reuters claim that the visit could be timed to coincide with a broader Asia tour later this year. Two possible occasions under consideration are the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in South Korea from October 30 to November 1, or a separate Beijing trip on September 3 for the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II, a ceremony Russian President Vladimir Putin is expected to attend.The White House and Chinese authorities have not yet confirmed details about any potential Trump-Xi meeting. However, the Kremlin has indicated it would not rule out a meeting between Trump and Putin if both leaders happen to be in Beijing at the same time. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov on Monday said, “If it so happens that [Trump] is there, then, of course, we cannot rule out that the question of the expediency of holding a meeting will be raised.”According to The Times, Beijing is actively considering playing host to a summit involving all three leaders, a move that could have wide-reaching diplomatic implications. Trump and Putin have already held multiple phone conversations since the former returned to office in January. Trump has expressed dissatisfaction with Moscow’s stance on Ukraine and recently warned of sanctions on Russia and its trading partners unless a peace agreement is reached by early September.In his comments on Tuesday, Trump described the US-China relationship as being on stable ground. “We’re getting along with China very well,” he said, adding that President Marcos should feel free to pursue economic ties with Beijing. “It wouldn’t bother me at all,” Trump remarked, to which Marcos replied, “It is something that we have to do in any case.”The meeting comes at a crucial moment, as the Trump administration pushes Beijing to meet an August 12 deadline to finalise a new trade agreement. Although Trump has toned down his rhetoric in recent weeks, the US continues to apply pressure over Chinese industrial overcapacity, fentanyl-related exports, and regional security concerns. A proposed 10 per cent universal base tariff on all imports remains on the table, alongside a sharply higher 55 per cent rate on goods from China.Despite unresolved disputes, including China’s support for Russia, exit bans on American residents, and aggressive moves in the Indo-Pacific, Trump has reiterated his willingness to keep lines of communication open with Xi, underscoring what he called a “very good relationship” with the Chinese leader.
