Beijing-Washington talks for Trump's state visit to China in 'final stage': Report

ISTANBUL

Negotiations between Beijing and Washington for US President Donald Trump's state visit to China are in the "final stage," the South China Morning Post reported on Wednesday.

The claim comes shortly after the fourth round of trade talks between the two countries in Spain and before Trump's phone call with Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday.

Earlier, Trump and Xi spoke on the phone on June 5.

Trump reportedly described the talks in Madrid as a success, with Washington and Beijing reaching a tentative agreement on the future of TikTok's US operations.

According to the report, the two sides also discussed other issues, including critical minerals and fentanyl.

If Trump’s potential visit to China takes place, it will mark the first visit by an American president to the Asian country since 2017.

The report cited sources familiar with the trade negotiations, saying “significant progress” has been made and both sides are finalizing the details.

“There are a few small loose ends. But the major blocks are already resolved. Things are taking shape,” one source told the Post.

Beijing reportedly sent a formal state visit invitation to Trump in the first week of September, which the report suggested as indicating that a state visit is “more or less confirmed” and that planning is in a “very advanced stage.”

“There is strong political will from both sides to make it happen. Both sides want to present this major diplomatic event as a big win for their domestic audiences,” a source told the Post.

The sources mentioned that the visit would likely be expected “around the APEC summit,” which will be held in South Korea from October 31 to November 1.

The US and China have maintained full diplomatic relations since January 1979.

The total volume of the goods trade between the two nations amounted to $582.0 billion in 2024, according to data from the US government.