Trump considers traveling to China to meet with Xi Jinping in the first 100 days of his presidency

U.S. President-elect Donald Trump is keen to travel to China to meet with President Xi Jinping within the first 100 days of his term. Trump and his advisers discussed the possibility of this meeting, with the aim of easing bilateral tensions generated by his proposals to impose tariffs of up to 60% on Chinese imports.

First contact after the elections

Trump and Xi recently held their first telephone conversation after the November elections. During the call, the two leaders discussed key issues, including trade, the fentanyl crisis, TikTok regulation and other matters of bilateral interest. Following that conversation, Trump expressed his desire to meet with Xi as soon as possible, while Beijing stressed its intention to open a strategic communication channel.

Although it was not confirmed whether Trump explicitly mentioned his interest in traveling to China during the conversation, close sources noted that discussions have considered the possibility of meetings on both Chinese and U.S. soil.

Diplomatic gestures and economic context

Although there was a possibility that the two leaders would meet next Monday following Trump's invitation to President Xi Jinping to attend his inauguration, this face-to-face meeting will not happen. Instead, the Chinese leader appointed Vice President Han Zheng as his representative at the ceremony, a gesture that could be interpreted as a sign of openness to dialogue.

Diplomatic context and future steps

A possible Trump visit to Beijing would occur at a particularly sensitive time for relations between the major global powers. In addition to trade, other sticking points include the supply of precursor chemicals from China to Mexican cartels and Beijing's support for Russia in the context of the war in Ukraine.

The relationship also faces challenges related to Taiwan. Beijing, which claims sovereignty over the island, has urged Trump to handle this issue with caution, calling it a matter of national interest. These and other issues could mark a turning point in bilateral relations, setting the tone for the coming years amid a complex international landscape.