- Title: China says top-level diplomacy key to US ties ahead of Trump's visit in May
- Date: 26th March 2026
- Summary: BEIJING, CHINA (MARCH 26, 2026) (REUTERS) CHINESE FOREIGN MINISTRY SPOKESPERSON LIN JIAN ARRIVING FOR NEWS CONFERENCE JOURNALISTS SEATED (SOUNDBITE) (Mandarin) CHINESE FOREIGN MINISTRY SPOKESPERSON, LIN JIAN, SAYING: "Head-of-state diplomacy plays an irreplaceable strategic and guiding role in China-US relations. The two sides are maintaining communication regarding Pr
- Embargoed:
- Keywords: China Trump Trump visit US Xi Jinping foreign ministry
- Location: BEIJING, CHINA
- City: BEIJING, CHINA
- Country: China
- Topics: Asia / Pacific,Government/Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA001752526032026RP1
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: China’s foreign ministry on Thursday (March 26) said head-of-state “diplomacy plays an irreplaceable strategic and guiding role in China-US relations” in response to the rescheduling of U.S. President Donald Trump’s visit to Beijing to May 14 and 15.
Speaking to reporters at a regular press briefing, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said the two sides “are maintaining communication” on Trump’s visit.
U.S. President Donald Trump will meet Chinese President Xi Jinping in May during his first visit to China in eight years, a closely watched trip postponed due to the ongoing Iran war.
Trump's effort to reschedule the trip reflected the U.S. president's eagerness to project confidence in a challenging Middle East war and simultaneously to manage a tense relationship between the world's biggest economies.
Initially slated to travel next week, Trump will now visit Beijing on May 14 and 15, he said in a Truth Social post on Wednesday. Trump added that he would host Xi for a reciprocal visit in Washington later this year.
(Production: Josh D. Arslan) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
- Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2026. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
- Usage Terms/Restrictions: None