WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump arrives in China on Wednesday for a three-day state visit that is expected to mainly focus on trade and economic ties. But, the US-Iran conflict is likely to dominate the strategic calculations of both Washington and Beijing.

The May 13–15 visit — the first by a sitting US president to China in nearly nine years — comes at a moment when the world’s two largest economies are struggling to stabilise relations after months of tariff disputes, geopolitical rivalry and growing tensions in the Middle East.

US President Trump is scheduled to hold one-on-one talks with the Chinese president, attend a state banquet and tour Beijing’s historic Temple of Heaven during the three-day visit. Yet behind the ceremonial optics lies a more urgent diplomatic objective: securing Chinese cooperation on Iran and the Strait of Hormuz crisis, which continues to disrupt global trade and energy markets.

White House press secretary described the trip as a “visit of tremendous symbolic significance,” saying the president hoped to “deliver more good deals” during his stay in Beijing.

The expected composition of the presidential delegation underscores that while economic diplomacy remains central to the visit, the US-Israeli war on Iran is reshaping its strategic context.

Trump has invited senior executives from some of America’s largest corporations — including Elon Musk of Tesla, Tim Cook of Apple, Larry Fink of BlackRock and Kelly Ortberg of Boeing — signalling Washington’s intent to revive commercial engagement even amid geopolitical tensions.

Executives from Citigroup and Qualcomm are also expected to participate in discussions on investment, manufacturing and technology cooperation.

The trip had originally been planned for March or April but was postponed after the Middle East conflict intensified. Since then, the war has become an increasingly central factor shaping the US-China diplomacy.

Washington is expected to press Beijing to use its considerable influence with Tehran to help de-escalate tensions and ensure freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, a vital artery for Chinese energy imports and global oil supplies. US officials also hope China will avoid obstructing efforts at the United Nations to condemn attacks on commercial shipping in the Gulf.

China, meanwhile, has quietly positioned itself as a potential mediator. Together with Pakistan, Beijing has backed diplomatic initiatives aimed at securing a ceasefire and reopening maritime routes through Hormuz. Chinese and Pakistani officials reportedly advanced a five-point framework earlier this year designed to restart negotiations and contain the regional conflict.

China’s proactive diplomacy reflects not only strategic ambition but also economic necessity. The prolonged conflict has added fresh strain to an already slowing Chinese economy. Rising oil prices have increased production costs for industries reliant on petrochemicals, including plastics and textiles.

Although China’s large oil reserves and rapid transition toward renewable energy and electric vehicles have softened the blow, the conflict continues to threaten export-driven sectors that remain essential to Chinese growth.

Last week, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi’s visit appeared to highlight China’s influence in the region and seemed intended toward coordinating positions ahead of Trump’s arrival.

The United States closely monitored the visit. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio remarked: “I hope the Chinese tell him what he needs to be told. And that is that what you are doing in the strait is causing you to be globally isolated. You’re the bad guy in this.”

Analysts say Washington increasingly recognises that any sustainable diplomatic opening with Tehran may require Beijing’s involvement. Yet asking Beijing for assistance also exposes Washington to political criticism at home.

Prominent Middle East scholar Vali Nasr warned that Trump could face difficult trade-offs in Beijing.

Reposting a Financial Times report on the visit on X, Nasr cited a US official as saying: “I would expect the president to apply pressure” on China over Iran when he goes to Beijing. He added that this would not be easy, noting that Trump would effectively have to ask Xi for help — which could be seen as a sign of weakness, would likely come at a cost, and could fail if China refused.

In another post, Nasr said there was concern in China that the US could escalate the war after Trump’s visit, potentially straining Beijing’s relations with Tehran.

US President Trump himself has publicly downplayed China’s support for Iran. Asked recently about Beijing’s ties with Tehran during the conflict, he responded: “It is what it is, right? We do things, too, against them.”

Trump also faces mounting domestic criticism over the war.

A Senate Democratic leader recently accused the president of dragging the country into “an illegal, costly war without any goals or any endgame”.

“The best way to lower costs and end this chaos is to end this illegal war,” Chuck Schumer said on X, adding that Democrats would force another vote on a War Powers Resolution to withdraw US troops from hostilities involving Iran.

“If Republicans vote against our resolution, they will continue to bear the blame for Trump’s war,” he warned.

Despite these tensions, both Washington and Beijing appear determined to prevent the Iran conflict from pushing an already fragile relationship into deeper confrontation. Chinese President Xi Jinping is expected to make a return visit to Washington later this year, underscoring that, even amid intensifying rivalry, both sides still see value in maintaining high-level engagement.