China says it is ‘maintaining communication’ with US over Trump visit

BEIJING - Beijing said on March 16 that it is in talks with Washington over a visit by US President Donald Trump, who has pressured NATO allies, including China, to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

Trade is set to take centre stage in the potential talks between Chinese President Xi Jinping and Mr Trump, expected at the end of March.

However, Mr Trump has suggested he may delay a meeting with Mr Xi if Beijing does not assist in reopening the strait, and warned that not abiding by his request would be “very bad for the future of NATO”.

The waterway, critical to oil transportation, has been effectively closed by Iran in retaliation for the US and Israeli war against Tehran.

Beijing’s Foreign Ministry said on March 16 that Beijing and Washington “are maintaining communication regarding President Trump’s visit to China”.

“Head-of-state diplomacy plays an irreplaceable strategic guiding role in China-US relations,” spokesman Lin Jian told a press conference.

He did not address Mr Trump’s recent pressure on NATO allies and China.

The “tense situation” in the strait has “disrupted international trade routes for goods and energy”, Mr Lin said when asked about Mr Trump’s comments.

Washington has said Mr Trump will visit China from March 31 to April 2, although Beijing has yet to confirm those dates in line with its usual practice.

Top US and China economic officials met in Paris for talks over the weekend, in a meeting widely seen as setting the stage for Mr Trump’s visit.

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent met Chinese Vice-Premier He Lifeng, with US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer also attending the talks, according to his office.

Mr Bessent said in a statement on March 12 that “economic dialogue” between the countries “is moving forward”.

But the meeting follows a turbulent year in US-China economic ties since Mr Trump returned to the presidency.

The US announced new trade investigations last week into excess industrial capacity, targeting 60 economies, including China and other key partners.

The probes will look into “failures to take action on forced labour” and whether these burden or restrict US commerce, according to US officials.

The move opens the door to new penalties, prompting China’s criticism earlier on March 12 of “political manipulation”.

Beijing said on March 16 that it “lodged representations” and urged Washington to “correct its erroneous” trade practices.

“We urge the US side to immediately correct its erroneous ways, meet China halfway... and resolve issues through dialogue and negotiations,” Beijing’s Commerce Ministry said in a statement.

The latest round of investigations “is extremely unilateral, arbitrary and discriminatory”, the ministry said, accusing Washington of “attempting to construct trade barriers”.

Global oil prices have surged by 40 per cent to 50 per cent since the war began, with the Strait of Hormuz choked off and Iran’s attacks on energy and shipping industry targets in its Gulf neighbours.

Experts say that China, which maintains large oil reserves, is better equipped than many other nations to deal with the impact of the war.

But it has reason to be concerned about the consequences of the situation in the Middle East on trade.

China’s official trade data for January and February, before the war in Iran began, showed that the country’s economy is buoyed largely by exports and international trade. AFP