Trump on his visit to China: It will be very important

US President Donald Trump described his visit to China as "very important" on Monday, affirming that "things are going well with Beijing," during a small business summit at the White House.

The rare face-to-face meeting is scheduled to take place on May 14 and 15, according to the White House. Several sources indicate that Beijing sees the summit as a unique opportunity to solidify a "more stable long-term relationship" with its biggest economic and military competitor, according to the network.

According to CNN, informed Chinese sources stated that Beijing is maintaining its commitment to holding the upcoming meeting between President Xi Jinping and his US counterpart Trump regardless of the situation in the Middle East, considering that the months-long conflict between Washington and Tehran may strengthen China's negotiating position.

The sources mentioned that "Beijing remains cautious about the files to be discussed with Trump, amid a disagreement within government circles on how to handle the complexities that have emerged as a result of the conflict in the Middle East, including the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, through which Beijing imports about a third of its oil and gas needs."

A Chinese source, who requested anonymity from CNN, said that Trump's visit "is not like any other visit by heads of state," adding that his tenure is likely to leave a lasting impact on the global order, and "has already radically changed the way the United States views its interests."

Success or failure of the visit

The source added that "the success or failure of the visit will have a long-term impact on future arrangements between China and the United States, regardless of whether Democrats or Republicans are in power."

Cui told CNN: "Chinese foreign policy is based on a fundamental principle that Sino-US relations are a top priority. When these relations stabilize, it can in turn contribute to the stability and even improvement of China's relations with other countries."

He added that "the sudden introduction of Iran into the core of Sino-US relations has made things more difficult for the Chinese side."

Beijing has not yet officially confirmed the summit date, but with the expected meeting approaching in less than two weeks, prospects for a peace agreement between the United States and Iran remain distant, with the possibility of a resumption of fighting still looming. According to a second Chinese source, neither scenario is without risks for China.

A White House official had mentioned last Friday to NBC News that Trump's trip "is among the influencing factors in the decision-making process" against Iran, adding that "the visit to Beijing to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping is a priority for Trump," noting that the White House "does not want to postpone the visit again."

In April, Trump said that "the United States intercepted a ship that was transporting military equipment to Iran," expressing his belief that it was "a gift from China." However, the Chinese Foreign Ministry rejected these accusations.