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• Beijing says it’s willing to work with Washington in the spirit of equality, respect and mutual benefit
• White House promises Trump will ‘deliver more good deals’ for Americans
• US sanctions 12 Iran-linked individuals, entities over China oil sales
BEIJING: Beijing said on Monday it was ready to work with the United States in pursuit of “more stability” and confirmed that Donald Trump will visit China this week, the first US president to do so since 2017.
Washington and Beijing have been at loggerheads over key issues ranging from trade tariffs to the Middle East war and Taiwan, which China claims as part of its territory.
Top trade negotiators from both countries will meet in Seoul a day before Trump’s summit with Chinese leader Xi Jinping to iron out details on trade and economic issues, a sign of the trip’s high stakes.
The White House announced Trump’s visit several weeks ago, and China’s foreign minis-try has now confirmed it will go ahead from Wednesday until Friday.
The US leader was originally meant to visit in late March or early April, but postponed his trip to focus on the US-Israel war with Iran.
“Top-level diplomacy plays an irreplaceable strategic guiding role in China-US relations,” Beijing’s foreign ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun told a regular news briefing.
“China is willing to work with the United States in the spirit of equality, respect, and mutual benefit, to expand cooperation, manage differences, and inject more stability and certainty into a volatile and intertwined world,” he said.
This is the first visit by a US president to China since Trump’s previous visit in 2017, and is expected to include a tour of the Temple of Heaven in Beijing and a lavish state banquet.
The White House has said it is of “tremendous symbolic significance”, and promised that Trump will “deliver more good deals” for Americans.
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent will set up the visit during talks with Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng in Seoul on Wednesday.
Bessent and He have been the chief negotiators for the United States and China on all trade and economic issues. Those talks are likely to put the finishing touches on any announcements that will be made during the leaders’ summit.
Iran overshadows summit
Trump and Xi last met face-to-face in October on the sidelines of a regional summit in South Korea. They agreed then to a one-year truce in a blistering trade war that saw tariffs on many goods exceed 100 per cent.
The Middle East war is expected to dominate the agenda this time.
Foreign Minister Wang Yi told his Iranian counterpart that China would play a “greater role” in restoring regional peace.
Trump is expected to push Xi on Beijing’s position on the war.
Asked about US pressure on Monday, foreign ministry spokesman Guo said only that China’s position on Iran was “consistent” and that Beijing would continue to play a “positive role” in promoting a ceasefire and peace talks.
More sanctions
Adding to the tension, the US State Department sanctioned three China-based satellite firms on Friday for enabling Iran’s military operations.
Washington also issued sanctions against 12 individuals and entities that it said facilitated the shipment of Iranian oil to China.
The US Treasury alleged that Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps “relies on front companies in permissive economic jurisdictions to obfuscate its role in oil sales and funnel the revenue to the Iranian regime.” It listed three Iran-based individuals and nine companies — based in Hong Kong and the UAE — as being subject to the new sanctions.
Sanctioned entities will see US-based assets blocked, with all transactions with them by US entities and individuals also banned.
Published in Dawn, May 12th, 2026
