Trump-Xi meeting likely to happen next year, says ambassador

BEIJING — A highly anticipated meeting between the U.S. and Chinese presidents is more likely to take place next year than this fall, U.S. Ambassador to China David Perdue said Tuesday.

“We’re looking forward to getting together, as President Trump said, and potentially in the near future, but certainly next year,” Perdue said. His comments came during a press conference with a group of U.S. lawmakers on a rare visit to Beijing — the first since 2019.

After a call Friday with Chinese President Xi Jinping, U.S. President Donald Trump said on social media that the two agreed to meet around a multilateral summit in South Korea next month. Trump also said he would visit China early next year, followed by a visit from Xi to the U.S.. The Chinese readout of the call did not include such details.

Perdue indicated that the delegation by the U.S. House of Representatives discussed the presidents’ call and potential meeting with Vice Premier He Lifeng Monday. The lawmakers also met Chinese Premier Li Qiang on Sunday.

“I would say that the relationship between President Xi and President Trump is actually very good and very encouraging right now,” Perdue said.

Democratic House Representative Adam Smith led the bipartisan delegation of four lawmakers, which included one Republican. Smith, who is also the current top Democrat on the House Armed Services Committee, said that the delegation also discussed resolving differences over the ownership of TikTok during their meetings with the Chinese.

Smith emphasized the China visit was aimed at boosting communication between the two countries, especially on military issues.

“We’re still sort of talking past each other,” Smith said. He added that the U.S. and China need to “not necessarily get on the same page, [but] at least get in the same book.”