Trump says Xi to visit in 'not too distant future'

President Donald Trump said Monday that Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping would visit the United States soon, as trade tensions soar between the world's two largest economies over Trump's tariffs.

"He'll be coming in the not too distant future," Trump told reporters as he visited the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington while talking about the Chinese leader.

Trump did not give any further details.

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The Wall Street Journal reported last week that Washington and Beijing had begun discussions about a possible summit in June in the United States. Both leaders celebrate birthdays in the month of June.

Since returning to the White House in January, Trump has unleashed tariffs on major trading partners including China, Canada and Mexico, citing trade imbalances and their failure to stem the flow of deadly fentanyl.

China last week called for "dialogue" with Washington.

Trump earlier this month raised a 10-percent blanket tariff he previously imposed on Chinese products to 20 percent.

Beijing responded with levies of up to 15 percent on a range of US agricultural goods including soybeans, pork and chicken.

China, the world's top steel producer, has also vowed to take "all necessary measures" in response to separate new US tariffs on steel and aluminum.

Xi last visited the United States in November 2023, when he met with Republican Trump's Democratic predecessor Joe Biden in California in a bid to ease growing tensions between the two superpowers.