Former President Donald Trump’s planned visit to Beijing has been rescheduled for May 14 and 15, the White House announced Wednesday. The meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping was originally anticipated to take place in late March or early April.
“I am pleased to announce that the long-awaited meeting between President Trump and President Xi in China will now take place in Beijing on May 14 and 15,” a White House spokesperson said during a press briefing.
Donald Trump subsequently confirmed the dates on his Truth Social network, predicting the trip would be a “major event.”
He added that President Xi and his wife would, in turn, be hosted in the United States later this year, a plan that has been known for some time.
The visit was initially postponed due to the conflict in the Middle East, which began with Israeli and American strikes against Iran on February 28.
Karoline Leavitt suggested the conflict may be nearing a conclusion by the time of the China visit.
“We’ve always estimated around four to six weeks (for the duration of the military operation, ed.). You can do the math,” she responded to a reporter asking if the new dates for the Beijing visit signaled an end to hostilities.
