Trump announces a possible visit to China “in the not too distant future” for discussions with Xi Jinping

US President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that he could soon go to China, on a major importance visit meant to address commercial and security tensions between the two superpowers, according to Reuters.

“President XI invited me to China and, most likely, we will pay this visit to a not very distant future,” Trump told journalists, in the Oval Office of the White House. “Not right immediately, but not far away. We have received invitations from several parts and we will make a decision soon.”

According to Reuters, Donald Trump's counselors and Chinese President Xi Jinping discussed a possible meeting between the two leaders, during a visit by the US president in Asia, scheduled for later this year, said two sources close to the plans.

Although the visit has not yet been officially established, the discussions held by both sides of the Pacific include the variant of Trump's stop around the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Summit, which will take place in South Korea, or some discussions on the event of the event on October 30-November 1, the sources said.

Another variant taken into account is Trump's participation in a September 3 ceremony in Beijing, dedicated to marking 80 years since the end of World War II, to which Russian President Vladimir Putin would be present.

The meetings between Donald Trump and Xi Jinping or Vladimir Putin would be the first face -to -face meetings from Trump's Investment on January 20, for his second term of president of the United States.

The White House and the Chinese Foreign Ministry refused to comment on the information published by Reuters.

Meeting with the President of the Philippines: “They were leaning towards China, but I quickly changed the direction”

Trump made the comment about a possible meeting with XI during a meeting with the President of the Philippines, Ferdinand Marcos Jr., a key ally in the Pacific region, which he said was “removed” from China's influence.

“The country may be inclined to China for a period, but we managed to change the direction quickly,” said Trump. He added: “It does not bother me if he has a good relationship with China, because we understand each other very well.”

Marcos, in the leadership of the country of 2022, has been seeking support from the United States for years, in the context in which the maritime disputes between the Philippines and China have intensified. Manila tried to avoid a direct confrontation with the older neighbor, who claims almost entirely the South China Sea.

The United States and Philippines have been linked by a treaty of old mutual defense over seven decades, which could involve Washington in a possible conflict between Manila and Beijing.

The American administration considers China its main strategic rival at the global level. When taking over the mandate, Donald Trump triggered a commercial war with China, based on the mutual imposition of customs tariffs, which seriously affected international trade and global supply chains.

Other tension points between the two powers include the support given by China Russia, the illegal trade with opioids, the increasing pressures on Taiwan and the prohibitions imposed on American citizens living in China.

In recent weeks, Trump has tried to relax the relationship, saying that his personal connection with Xi Jinping is “healthy”.

At the same time, Trump has proposed the imposition of customs tariffs for almost all foreign goods, including those from China and the US allied states, such as Philippines. He claims that this measure will stimulate domestic production, but critics warn that prices for many consumer products could increase significantly for Americans.

President Trump has proposed the introduction of a 10% universal basic customs tariff for all goods imported into the US, regardless of the country of origin, with higher rates for certain products or states. Currently, imports from China are subjected to the highest rate of 55%.

Trump has set August 12 as a deadline for the United States and China to reach a sustainable commercial fare agreement.