Trump Scheduled for China Visit in May, with Potential Japan Stopover Under Consideration

U.S. government sources who spoke on Thursday, April 30, 2026. U.S. President Donald Trump is scheduled to visit Beijing for two days from May 14, 2026, where he is set to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent will accompany Trump on the trip to China and has indicated that he will visit Japan beforehand. During the proposed stopover, Trump is expected to hold talks with Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi to discuss Japan-China relations and Taiwan.

This would be the first in-person meeting between Trump and Takaichi since Takaichi visited Washington last month. U.S. government has not yet notified Japan of its decision on the proposed stopover. If Trump skips the stopover, the Japanese government plans to arrange phone talks between Trump and Takaichi.

During the March 2026 summit with Takaichi, Trump said that there was some tension between Japan and China. Trump also said that he plans to praise Japan when he meets with Xi. -China relationship as a 'G2,' or the Group of Two, in which the two countries share global leadership.

U.S. government has not notified Japan due to Trump's fluctuating schedule amid the turmoil in the Middle East. "Any decision (on the proposed stopover) would likely be made at the last minute," a Japanese government source said.

-China rapprochement that would leave unresolved issues such as China's economic and military pressure against its neighbors and Taiwan. There are also concerns that Washington could ignore Japan and strike a trade agreement with China.