Vladimir Putin will visit China for Victory Parade in September. Will Donald Trump be there too?

US President Donald Trump is planning a trip to China later this year and will likely be accompanied by a delegation of CEOs, according to a report.

The visit will resemble his Middle East tour, the first after he returned to the White House, where over 30 CEOs, including Elon Musk, accompanied him, reported Nikkei Asia. The report has stoked optimism that a breakthrough could happen in US-China relations that teetered on the edge over the tariff controversy. 

Speculations are rife that Beijing might invite Trump to its Victory Parade in Tiananmen Square on September 3, marking the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II. However, Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning refused to confirm the reports, stating she didn't have any information to provide on the matter. If the visit happens, it could be monumental as the Kremlin confirmed earlier this month that Russian President Vladimir Putin would attend China’s Victory Day parade.

Trump spoke to Chinese President Xi Jinping over the phone last week, where the latter stated, "recalibrating the direction of the giant ship of China-U.S. relations requires us to take the helm and set the right course." "It is particularly important to steer clear of the various disturbances and disruptions," Xi said.  This was also the first official talk between the two leaders since Trump relaunched the US trade war in February. 

Both the US and China announced last week that they reached a "supplementary understanding" on China's rare-earth exports and U.S. export restrictions on China. 

 

Analysts believe that if the visit happens, it reflects a shift in the US approach towards China, which has moved from threats to negotiations. Shen Dingli, a professor of international affairs in Shanghai, told the South China Morning Post that he was "cautiously optimistic" about the possibility of Trump visiting in September. "There were no reciprocal visits during [Trump’s predecessor Joe] Biden’s four years, and there’s no reason [for things] to continue that way," he said. "During World War II, China and the US were allies. So it’s only appropriate to invite a wartime ally to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the victory over Japanese invasion," he added.

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