US President Donald Trump’s request to postpone his planned summit with Chinese leader Xi Jinping has cast a shadow over bilateral engagement, even as analysts say ties are unlikely to suffer a major setback, according to a Reuters report.The proposed delay comes at a time when Washington and Beijing had just concluded high-stakes trade talks in Paris to prepare the ground for Trump’s visit to China later this month. Observers say the Iran conflict has disrupted Trump’s foreign policy priorities, adding war-related pressures to existing tensions over trade and Taiwan.“The situation is not in jeopardy, and Beijing still wants to organise the summit, but the US-Iran conflict and the Supreme Court ruling on tariff policies have complicated these efforts,” Zhao Minghao, an international relations expert at Shanghai’s Fudan University, told Reuters. “It makes US-China interactions this year more difficult because of Trump’s ‘war of choice’ in Iran.”Negotiations in Paris had focused on managing trade and investment ties, including possible additional Chinese purchases of US agricultural products such as poultry, beef and non-soybean crops. The two sides also discussed the supply of rare earth minerals — an area where China holds significant global leverage.In an editorial, state-run China Daily described the talks as “constructive,” but warned that Beijing’s openness “should not be mistaken for acquiescence.” The commentary added that Washington should avoid measures that inject uncertainty into economic relations, including tariffs or unilateral investigations.Alfred Wu of the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy said changes in summit planning were not ideal from China’s perspective. “The fluctuations (in plans) are not ideal from China’s perspective, China actually wants something more predictable,” he said.US officials have offered differing explanations for the possible postponement. Trump told Britain’s Financial Times he might delay the visit if China did not help unblock the Strait of Hormuz. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent later said the timing could be affected by coordination of the war effort rather than trade disputes.Despite the uncertainty, analysts say both sides remain focused on maintaining stability in ties. Patricia Kim, a foreign policy fellow at the Brookings Institution, said China’s priority is to keep relations with the United States steady while preparing for long-term strategic competition.Neil Thomas of the Asia Society noted that Trump’s preoccupation with the Iran war could make preparations for a successful summit difficult. Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Lin Jian also said diplomatic engagement between leaders plays an “irreplaceable role” in guiding bilateral relations, adding that communication on the timing of the visit is ongoing.
