US President Donald Trump has confirmed his intention to visit China next week and believes his meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping "will be great".
„We will have a meeting with President Xi. I think it will be great. He is my friend and we have gotten along well for many years,” he told reporters, quoted by the White House press service.
The visit of the American leader to Beijing is scheduled for May 14-15.
The United States and China are in a phase of sharp strategic rivalry and intense trade confrontation, combined with attempts at risk management and diplomatic probing to avoid direct military conflict.
The administration of Donald Trump maintains an aggressive protectionist policy, imposing heavy tariffs on Chinese imports (in the range of 35%-50% for many goods, and for certain sectors up to 145%).
Beijing responded with reciprocal restrictions, in particular on the export of minerals that are critical to the West, which Washington describes as deliberate harm to the global economy.
In March 2026 The US has launched new trade investigations against China and other partners to reorganise supply chains.
Amid economic tensions, US Treasury Secretary Scott Besant held talks with Chinese Vice Premier He Lifen. Besant repeatedly said that current levels of tariffs and threats were “unsustainable” in the long term, signaling a desire to stabilise markets ahead of Donald Trump's planned visit to Beijing.
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi stressed the need to avoid “misunderstandings”, while China continues to position itself as an “alternative stabilizing force” against US hegemony.
Taiwan remains the most explosive point in bilateral relations. The US continues its military support for the island, while China increases its military pressure in the region.
In early May, the US officially called on China to use its diplomatic influence over Iran to ensure the opening of the Strait of Hormuz to international shipping.
The US is imposing strict controls on the export of advanced microchips and artificial intelligence technologies to China. The pressure is also expanding to neighboring countries - the US has threatened Canada with 100% tariffs over trade agreements that facilitate the entry of Chinese electric vehicles into the North American market.
Despite the sharp rhetoric and economic clash, the two superpowers have maintained open channels of high-level communication, trying to draw red lines for their competition.