US President Donald Trump announced on Monday that he could soon visit China for a historic visit there, Reuters reported, noting that this comes at a time of tension in the fields of trade and security, BTA reported.
"President Xi invited me to visit China and it will probably happen in the not too distant future", Trump told reporters in the Oval Office of the White House.
"It's a little far away, but not too far away. "I've been invited by a lot of people and we'll make a decision on that very soon," he added.
Aides to Trump and Xi have discussed a potential meeting between the two leaders during the US president's trip to Asia later this year, Reuters reported earlier, citing people familiar with the matter.
Although plans for the meeting are not final, discussions have included a possible brief visit by Trump while he travels to the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in South Korea or talks on the sidelines of the event, scheduled for October 30 – Nov. 1, the sources said.
Another possibility would be a visit to Beijing on Sept. 3 for a ceremony marking the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II, which will also be attended by Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The White House and the Chinese government declined to comment on the report, Reuters noted.
Trump made his comments about meeting Xi during a visit to the White House by Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. – a key US ally in the Pacific that Trump said he had successfully separated from China, although he also said there was nothing wrong with the two countries maintaining relations.
Trump has been trying in recent weeks to ease tensions with Beijing after freezing a tariff war that has disrupted global trade and supply chains, Reuters reported.
Trump wants to impose tariffs on virtually all foreign goods, which he says would boost domestic production but critics say would raise the prices of many consumer goods for Americans.
He has called for a universal base tariff of 10% on all goods imported from all countries, as well as higher rates on imports from some countries, including China. Imports from China have been hit with the highest tariffs of 55%.
Trump has set an August 12 deadline for the US and China to reach a lasting agreement on tariffs.
Other points of tension between the countries include China's support for Russia, the trade in fentanyl-related chemicals and concerns about regional security.