Media: Trump eyes early visit to China as inauguration draws near

U.S. President-elect Donald Trump plans to visit China within the first 100 days of his presidency, aiming to strengthen ties with Chinese President Xi Jinping, according to sources familiar with the discussions.

Trump has expressed interest in traveling to China soon after his inauguration, scheduled for January 20. While a final decision on the trip has not been made, discussions between Trump and Xi through their representatives have also explored the possibility of Xi visiting the United States, Caliber.Az reports citing WSJ.

On Friday, Trump held a phone conversation with Xi Jinping, during which he emphasized Washington and Beijing's potential to resolve numerous issues together in the near future. The Wall Street Journal noted that this aligns with Trump’s broader ambition to foster closer cooperation with China.

Chinese Vice President Han Zheng, acting as a special representative of Xi Jinping, will attend Trump’s inauguration. This marks a gesture of Beijing’s readiness to deepen bilateral collaboration under the new U.S. administration.

Trump last visited China in 2017, and his interest in a swift return reflects his administration’s priority to engage with Beijing on pressing global and regional matters. Alongside this, Trump has reportedly discussed with his advisers the possibility of a visit to India, where he last traveled in 2020.

Chinese state media has highlighted Beijing’s intention to strengthen cooperation with Washington as Trump assumes office, though the Chinese embassy in Washington has yet to comment on the potential visit.

By Khagan Isayev