From Iran To Trade Talks: Five Key Developments To Watch As Trump Meets Xi This Week

Last Updated:May 12, 2026, 12:08 IST

The Iran conflict and the Strait of Hormuz situation are expected to be among the key topics during the Trump-Xi talks.

As US President Donald Trump prepares to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing later this week, a series of diplomatic and trade engagements across Asia are set to unfold ahead of the closely watched summit.

Here are five key developments to watch ahead of the high-stakes summit:

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent’s Japan visit

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent arrived in Japan on Monday and is expected to meet Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, according to NHK.

The visit comes amid tensions between Beijing and Tokyo following remarks made by Takaichi in November indicating that Japan would support Taiwan if threatened by China’s military. Beijing had objected to the comments. During Takaichi’s visit to the US in March, Trump and the Japanese Prime Minister had “committed to peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait," according to the White House.

Japan is also closely watching developments related to the Iran conflict, as the country depends on the Middle East for about 75% of its oil imports.

US-China trade talks in South Korea

Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng will lead a delegation to South Korea from Tuesday to Wednesday for trade talks with the US, according to China’s Commerce Ministry.

Bessent also said he would travel to Seoul on Wednesday for discussions with He Lifeng. Analysts say the meetings reflect the tight diplomatic schedule ahead of the Trump-Xi summit.

Nomura Chief China Economist Ting Lu said the summit was likely to focus on “avoiding an unnecessary escalation of tensions and managing risks" rather than deeper cooperation.

Iran and Strait of Hormuz crisis

The Iran conflict and the Strait of Hormuz situation are expected to be among the key topics during the Trump-Xi talks.

Renmin University of China professor Cui Shoujun said Iran would “definitely be discussed" during the summit, noting that China maintains ties with both Iran and Gulf countries.4. Trump’s Beijing schedule and business delegationTrump is expected to arrive in Beijing on Wednesday evening, according to the White House.

On Thursday, he is scheduled to attend a welcome ceremony, hold bilateral talks with Xi and tour the Temple of Heaven in Beijing before attending a state banquet.

The White House has invited several American business leaders to join the trip, including Tesla CEO Elon Musk, Apple CEO Tim Cook and Boeing CEO Kelly Ortberg. Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang was not included on the list.

Possible Putin visit next week

Reports suggest Russian President Vladimir Putin could visit Beijing as early as May 18.The expected visit comes as China continues a series of high-level diplomatic engagements this year. Ahead of Trump’s visit, Xi hosted Tajik President Emomali Rahmon, while Iran’s foreign minister also visited Beijing last week.

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