US President Donald Trump is expected to pressure Chinese President Xi Jinping over Beijing’s ties with Iran during a high-stakes meeting in Beijing later this week, according to senior US administration officials.
The talks come amid escalating tensions surrounding the Iran conflict, with Washington accusing China of helping sustain Tehran’s economy through continued oil purchases and the sale of dual-use goods. A senior US official said Trump has repeatedly raised concerns with Xi over Chinese revenue flows benefiting both Iran and Russia.
“I would expect the president to apply pressure,” the official told reporters ahead of the summit. ()
The White House confirmed Trump will travel to Beijing from Wednesday to Friday, where discussions are also expected to focus on trade, tariffs, artificial intelligence, and extending a year-long trade truce between the world’s two largest economies.
The diplomatic push comes as Trump recently rejected Iran’s response to a US-backed peace proposal, calling it “totally unacceptable,” while tensions in the Middle East continue to threaten global oil markets and regional stability.
Recent US sanctions targeting Chinese-linked entities over alleged Iran-related activities are also likely to feature prominently in the talks, adding further strain to already fragile US-China relations.