WASHINGTON, March 16 - The White House on Monday indicated that a scheduled encounter between President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping is still intended to occur, but it may be pushed back as the U.S. president remains concentrated on the Iran war.
The bilateral meeting, which is set to take place during a trip to China from March 31 to April 2, has been described by officials as highly anticipated given the two countries' economic prominence. Despite that, aides acknowledged a delay remains a possibility.
White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt, speaking on Fox News' "Fox & Friends" program, said she did not believe the summit was at risk of cancellation but allowed that a postponement was "quite possible."
"I don't think the meeting is in jeopardy, but it's quite possible the meeting could be delayed," Leavitt said.
Earlier remarks from the president added a potential condition for proceeding. Trump told the Financial Times on Sunday that he might postpone the meeting if China did not assist in unblocking the Strait of Hormuz, a waterway critical to global shipping and energy flows.
The Chinese foreign ministry did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.
Leavitt said that if the trip were to be rescheduled, the White House would make new dates public in short order. She framed the president’s current priorities around his role as commander-in-chief, noting the administration’s focus on military operations related to the Iran conflict.
"The president's utmost responsibility right now as commander-in-chief is to ensure the continued success of Operation Epic Fury, as he's doing 24/7 here at the White House and here at home. So we'll look forward to announcing those dates very soon," she said.
The unfolding situation leaves the timing of the face-to-face meeting uncertain while affirming that discussions between the two leaders remain on the White House agenda. Should officials move to change the schedule, aides say an updated timetable will be provided.
Summary of facts presented here is limited to official statements from the White House, the president's remarks reported to a news outlet, and the noted lack of an immediate comment from the Chinese foreign ministry.