Overview
- Trump and Xi are scheduled to meet Thursday and Friday in Beijing with plans to steady ties as the Iran war keeps the Strait of Hormuz partly closed.
- Washington recently sanctioned Chinese refiners and shippers tied to Iranian crude, and Beijing issued a first‑ever “blocking rule” instructing Chinese companies not to comply with those measures.
- Officials and analysts expect limited steps such as Chinese orders of U.S. farm goods and Boeing jets, an extension of the tariff truce, new trade and investment boards, and an AI risk statement rather than breakthroughs on Taiwan or chip controls.
- Experts say Xi holds more leverage as Trump confronts war pressures and weak polls, while Beijing hosted Iran’s foreign minister and heard a U.S. push to help reopen the strait.
- Their last meeting in October 2025 produced a tariff pause, and with that truce nearing expiry and strict U.S. tech curbs still in force, markets are watching for even small signals that tensions could ease.