Trump Delays China Visit Over Iran War

March 17, 2026 | 11:13 am

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - US President Donald Trump said Monday he would postpone his visit to Beijing to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping for at least a month due to the ongoing war with Iran.

"We're working on that right now," Trump told reporters in the Oval Office. "I'd love to (go to China), but because of the war, I want to be here. I have to be here," Trump said of the meeting, originally scheduled for March 31–April 2. "So we've asked to postpone the visit for about a month," he said, as reported by Kyodo and quoted by Antara.

"I look forward to meeting him. We have a very good relationship," he said, referring to Xi.

Hours earlier, White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt said the China visit could be rescheduled because Trump needs to focus on the US and Israel's war against Iran.

"As commander-in-chief, it's his number one priority right now to ensure the continued success of this operation, Epic Fury. So, we'll keep you posted on the dates as soon as we can," she said.

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent also said Trump wants to remain in Washington to coordinate the war effort.

"Traveling abroad at a time like this may not be optimal," he said.

Strait of Hormuz

The statement came a day after Trump told the Financial Times that he could postpone his meeting with Xi if China did not help the US open the Iran-blockaded Strait of Hormuz in the coming days.

Trump continues to pressure Middle Eastern oil-dependent countries, including Japan and South Korea, to send warships to secure the vital shipping lane.

In a White House meeting, Trump reiterated his call for support to open the strait, which carries about 20 percent of the world's oil supply.

He also claimed that many countries were prepared to help, but did not specify which countries were supporting and which were not.

Trump has called on allies to help the US secure the Strait of Hormuz, which has been blockaded by Iranian forces in response to the intensified US-Israeli bombing campaign that began on February 28.

However, several European allies and NATO members, such as Germany, Spain, and the UK, have refused to send warships to the Strait of Hormuz.

"It is not NATO war," German Chancellor Friedrich Merz's spokesman said, as reported by The Independent. "NATO is an alliance to defend the alliance area. The United States did not consult us before this war, and so we believe this is not a matter for Nato or the German government."

As the war enters its third week with no signs of ending, the prospects for Trump's first visit to China in his second term are increasingly uncertain.

Nevertheless, economic officials from both countries held a two-day meeting in Paris and agreed to maintain close communication.

Read: NATO Allies Reject Trump Call to Reopen Strait of Hormuz

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