US President Donald Trump will visit China from 13 to 15 May, Beijing confirmed on Monday.

The trip, delayed from an earlier planned date due to the Iran war, will see Trump meet President Xi Jinping for talks expected to cover trade tensions and the ongoing Middle East conflict.

What will Trump and Xi Jinping discuss at the Beijing summit?

Trump is expected to press Xi on Iran, where China remains a key buyer of Iranian oil, largely through independent “teapot” refineries that rely on discounted crude.

He will also aim to ease trade tensions between the two countries, which have clashed over tariffs, the Middle East war, and Taiwan. US Principal Deputy Press Secretary Anna Kelly said Trump “never travels for symbolism alone” and that Americans should expect him to “deliver more good deals.”

Why was Trump’s visit to China delayed?

Trump was originally scheduled to visit China in late March or early April. The trip was postponed so he could focus on the Iran war, which the US and Israel launched on 28 February. Beijing’s confirmation on Monday publicly green-lit the first visit by a US president to China since 2017.

China’s foreign ministry announced the visit in formal terms, saying Trump would travel “at the invitation of President Xi Jinping.” The statement offered no detail on the agenda, but Washington has been clear about its priorities heading into the summit.

What is planned during Trump’s state visit to Beijing?

The visit will include ceremonial events such as a tour of the Temple of Heaven in Beijing and a lavish state banquet, according to the White House. Kelly described the trip as carrying “tremendous symbolic significance,” while making clear the administration expects concrete outcomes.

The two countries remain at odds on several fronts, including trade tariffs, Taiwan, and China’s role in financing Iranian oil exports through its refinery sector.