Overview
- Politico reports the administration has told foreign counterparts no new dates will be proposed until the active Iran war ends, a claim the White House denies.
- Trump postponed the late-March Beijing visit by five to six weeks, White House aides have hinted it may slip past May, and Beijing has yet to confirm new dates.
- Chinese and U.S. teams held “constructive” Paris talks to prepare the meeting, but no major breakthroughs were announced on tariffs, a fragile trade truce or market access.
- Analysts say the delay and U.S. war focus give China more bargaining power on issues from tariff relief to critical minerals, with Beijing projecting steadiness and refining its stance.
- Beijing has kept a cool public tone, offered no commitment to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz, and experts caution the summit may still not proceed as planned.