Trump to Make 3-Day Visit to China in Late March

JAKARTA - US President Donald Trump is rumored to be traveling to China from March 31 to April 2 to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping.

It will be Trump's first trip to China since returning to office in January last year, with trade, Taiwan and global affairs, from Iran's nuclear ambitions to Russia's protracted war in Ukraine, likely to be the main agenda.

Reported by ANTARA from Kyodo, Saturday, February 21, Trump last visited China in November 2017 during his first term. Since meeting Xi in South Korea in late October, Trump has repeatedly said he has a good relationship with the Chinese leader and hopes to visit China this spring.

In return for his visit to China as a state guest, Trump said he would host in the United States by the end of the year.

In preparation for Trump's visit to Beijing, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio met with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi sepakanlalu in Germany on the sidelines of the annual security conference.

At the previous meeting, Trump and Xi agreed to a one-year truce in the trade war between the world's two largest economies.

Trump's upcoming visit comes after the US Supreme Court on Friday ruled against massive tariffs targeting China and virtually all other US trading partners.

In addition to trade issues, Taiwan, which China claims as its own territory, is likely to be a sensitive topic when the two presidents meet.

During a phone call with Trump earlier this month, Xi stressed Taiwan was the "most important issue" in China-US relations, according to the Chinese government.

China reacted angrily to the Trump administration's announcement in December of a major arms sales package to Taiwan. Beijing has not ruled out using force to bring the island under its control.

Asked about the possibility of sending more weapons to Taiwan earlier this week, Trump, who is believed to be under pressure from China not to do so, said, "We will make a decision soon."

Trump's diplomatic ability will also be tested when he hosts Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi at the White House on March 19, amid China's criticism of his remarks on the potential crisis of the Taiwan Strait.