US President Donald Trump has said he intends to delay a planned visit to China, citing the need to remain in Washington as the conflict with Iran continues to escalate.

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Speaking to reporters at the White House on Monday, Trump said the trip — originally scheduled for late March — would likely be pushed back by around a month. He stressed that his presence in the United States was necessary to oversee developments related to the war.

“We’ve requested that we delay it a month or so,” he said, adding that managing the conflict was his priority.

Talks with Beijing continue over timing

The visit had been expected to include high-level discussions with Chinese President Xi Jinping between 31 March and 2 April, following their previous in-person meeting in October last year.

China confirmed that discussions were ongoing بشأن the timing of the trip. Foreign ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said both sides were in communication over “the timing and related matters” of Trump’s visit.

Despite the delay, Trump signalled that relations with Beijing remained stable, describing his relationship with Xi as positive and expressing his intention to meet in the near future.

Iran war reshapes foreign policy priorities

The decision to postpone the trip reflects how the Iran conflict has come to dominate US foreign policy in recent weeks.

The war has disrupted global oil supplies, raising concerns about economic fallout, including higher energy prices. Officials say these developments require close coordination from Washington.

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the delay was not linked to trade disagreements or pressure on China to assist in the Gulf, but rather to ensure the president could focus on managing the crisis.

“Travelling abroad at a time like this may not be optimal,” he said.

Broader tensions remain

The postponement comes amid ongoing tensions between the world’s two largest economies, which have been further strained by the Iran conflict.

China, a major importer of Iranian oil, has criticised US and Israeli actions in the region. At the same time, Washington has raised concerns over Chinese trade practices and recently announced plans to investigate several countries, including China.

Recent negotiations between US and Chinese officials in Paris have addressed issues such as tariffs, investment and sanctions. Both sides indicated progress on some matters and agreed to continue discussions.

However, Chinese representatives expressed concern over potential US trade probes and called for measures to maintain global economic stability.

Strategic visit delayed, not cancelled

While the meeting between Trump and Xi is expected to be rescheduled, the delay underscores the extent to which the Iran war is reshaping diplomatic priorities.

Trump also suggested he could reconsider the timing of the trip depending on developments related to the Strait of Hormuz, a key route for global energy shipments.

For now, the focus remains on managing the ongoing conflict, even as diplomatic engagement between Washington and Beijing continues behind the scenes.

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Adapted by ASEAN Now. Source 17 March 2026

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The way things are going, sounds like it will be very long "delay."

Speaking of which, isn't right now the perfect time (if ever) for China to make a move on Taiwan?

Does not want to go to China because of the war, but it does not stop him

playing golf every weekend .

regards worgeordie

Totally clear, because the war is so much ahead of schedule, Trump needs to move the China visit back :)

It gives the UK Government/King Charles the perfect excuse to cancel the the "State Visit" as they will not wish to interfere with the US WAR situation!

It would be a good idea for him to embark on a long overseas trip now and leave the decision making to others.

Well, not willing to face the music? It is clear that his strangulation of oil supplies to China against Yuan has backfired big time and the chosen people, albeit at the controls of all this, have miscalculated the situation as well.

Obviously the old say "Don't count your chickens before they hatch" is reinforced, once more again and it is, by all accounts, not a good idea to stand onto the toes of the Red Brethren in the North.

The Petrodollar has outstayed its welcome and the rusty metal starts to shine through the poor coat of American lacquer. Wondering, how delighted the US taxpayer will be to foot yet another war bill; the Vietnam and Afghanistan bills are not settled yet either .........

I will bet the secret service has decided traveling is a security risk. I would assume the president could not get adequate protection in a distant country like China so they err on the side of caution.