In an interview published Sunday by the Financial Times, Trump said the timing of the meeting could shift depending on progress in restoring navigation through the key oil transit route.

“We’d like to know before (the summit),” Trump said, adding that “we may delay,” without specifying how long a postponement might last.

The Strait of Hormuz, which connects Gulf energy producers to global markets, has come under heightened strain during the conflict with Iran, raising concerns about disruptions to international oil shipments.

Washington has sought diplomatic and security cooperation from major powers to ensure the passage remains open as tensions across the Middle East escalate.

Trump’s remarks suggest the United States is looking to China to play a role in stabilizing the situation. Beijing maintains significant economic ties with Iran and is a major importer of Gulf energy supplies that pass through the strait.

The proposed summit in Beijing had been expected to focus on trade and geopolitical issues between the two powers, but Trump indicated that progress on the maritime corridor could influence whether the meeting proceeds on schedule.

China’s parliament, the National People’s Congress, approved the legislation on Thursday, aiming to foster a shared national identity among China’s 55 officially recognised ethnic minority groups, including Tibetans and Uyghurs.

While the law does not explicitly mention Taiwan, Beijing considers the island part of its territory and regards its people as Chinese citizens.

Shen Yu-chung, deputy minister at Taiwan’s Mainland Affairs Council, said language in the legislation could potentially extend to cross-strait issues.

Speaking to reporters in Taipei before the law was formally passed, Shen said provisions requiring citizens to protect China’s sovereignty and national unity could “spill over into becoming a legal basis for handling cross-Strait issues.

”When asked whether the law might be used to target individuals Beijing views as pro-independence activists, Shen said it was “highly possible,” adding that the definition of promoting unity remained vague while penalties could be more clearly defined.

China, which views democratically governed Taiwan as its own territory, has already introduced measures aimed at supporters of Taiwanese independence.In 2024, Chinese authorities issued guidelines to punish what they called “diehard” independence activists, with penalties that could include the death sentence, despite Chinese courts having no jurisdiction on the island.

The new legislation also contains a brief reference encouraging people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait to identify as Chinese.

The law further cites remarks by Chinese President Xi Jinping stating that citizens must “consciously uphold national unity, national security, and social stability.”

Taiwanese officials have long criticised what they describe as Chinese “lawfare,” referring to the use of legislation to create legal grounds for targeting individuals Beijing considers separatists, including those living overseas.

The new law includes provisions stating that individuals and organisations outside the borders of the People’s Republic of China can be held legally accountable for undermining ethnic unity or inciting separatism.

Shen said such language raised concerns about potential “long-arm jurisdiction,” referring to China’s efforts to apply its legal framework beyond its borders.

China’s Taiwan Affairs Office did not respond to a request for comment.

Foreign Minister Wang Yi made the remarks during a press conference on the sidelines of China’s annual parliamentary meeting in Beijing, warning that the absence of engagement between the world’s two largest economies could deepen tensions at a time of heightened geopolitical strain. “Failure to engage between the two nations would only lead to misunderstandings and misjudgements, escalating toward confrontation and harming the world,” Wang said. His comments came as both governments prepare for a potential meeting between Xi and Trump later this month, a summit expected to address trade, security and regional tensions amid an increasingly complex global environment.

Summit preparations intensify ,Analysts say the planned meeting between the two leaders carries heightened importance as relations between Beijing and Washington face renewed scrutiny.The United States has intensified actions affecting countries with close economic and political ties to China, including Iran and Venezuela, developments that have drawn attention to Beijing’s diplomatic posture and its willingness to defend partners facing pressure from Washington. Observers say the confrontation unfolding in the Middle East and Washington’s broader geopolitical strategy are testing China’s foreign policy approach, which traditionally emphasises economic partnerships and diplomatic engagement rather than direct military involvement.Pressure on China’s foreign policyChina’s international strategy has rarely faced this level of examination in recent decades, according to Yasser Nasser, a historian at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.“In some senses it is existential in that it reveals that Chinese economic commitments or commitments to arms deals, for example, do not translate to directly confronting the U.S. or preventing interventions as, for example, it did during the Vietnam War,” Nasser said.

The evolving global environment has placed China in a complex position as it seeks to maintain relations with partners targeted by U.S. policies while avoiding direct confrontation with Washington.Diplomacy framed as stabilising forceWang used the press conference to emphasise China’s preference for diplomacy and engagement in international affairs, contrasting that approach with what he characterised as reliance on force in resolving disputes.He said sustained communication between major powers was necessary to maintain stability in the international system and warned against policies that could push the global order toward confrontation.China has repeatedly urged dialogue to address geopolitical tensions, including conflicts linked to the Middle East crisis and broader strategic competition between major powers. The expected Xi-Trump meeting is being closely watched by governments and markets worldwide as a potential indicator of how the two powers intend to manage their rivalry and cooperation across trade, security and diplomatic arenas.

Xi made the remarks as China’s top political leadership gathered for the country’s annual parliamentary meetings, where officials have also outlined economic priorities and policy targets for the year.“There is no place for corruption to hide,” Xi said, according to Xinhua. “The fight against corruption must move forward.”

Xi’s comments emphasised the importance of political discipline within the armed forces, which operate under the direct command of the Communist Party rather than the state.The president said the military must remain firmly aligned with party leadership while continuing efforts to identify and remove corrupt officials.China’s anti-corruption campaign has been a central element of Xi’s governance since he took office, targeting both civilian and military officials in what authorities describe as an effort to strengthen political discipline and governance standards.

The remarks came during the annual sessions of China’s top political bodies, a major gathering where senior officials present economic goals and policy priorities for the year ahead.This year’s meetings have drawn attention after two senior Chinese officials were absent from the opening session on Wednesday, when top Communist Party leaders convened for the start of the proceedings.Their absence followed a series of investigations and disciplinary actions affecting senior party cadres as part of an ongoing wave of anti-corruption purges.The developments have underscored the continued focus by the Chinese leadership on enforcing political loyalty and discipline across key institutions, including the military and the party’s upper ranks.

ReutersThe dispute highlights deepening political divisions in Taiwan over military spending and defence preparedness at a time of rising security pressure from China and growing calls from the United States for the island to strengthen its defences.Speaking to reporters in Taipei, Defence Minister Wellington Koo said the opposition-backed plan would impose restrictions that would effectively halt several planned weapons programmes. The government’s proposal includes systems such as precision artillery and anti-armour unmanned platforms designed to strengthen Taiwan’s asymmetric defence strategy. Reuters“If everything is required to be delivered and fully implemented before that deadline, it would in effect shut down these projects, making their execution impossible,” Koo said.Budget dispute in parliamentThe main opposition Kuomintang (KMT), which holds parliamentary influence alongside smaller parties, has advanced a counterproposal that caps spending at about T$380 billion ($11.96 billion) roughly one-third of the funding sought by the government.

Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te had proposed a significantly larger defence package aimed at strengthening the island’s deterrence against Beijing, which claims Taiwan as its territory and has increased military pressure in recent years. Opposition lawmakers say their proposal reflects the need for stricter legislative scrutiny of defence spending. The KMT has argued that procurement through commercial channels could be vulnerable to irregularities and has called for weapons purchases to focus primarily on government-to-government agreements with Washington.Koo rejected that approach, warning that excluding certain acquisition channels would create gaps in Taiwan’s defence capabilities and undermine efforts to strengthen joint operational readiness.He added that the government’s proposal has the backing of both the U.S. administration and members of Congress.U.S. pressure and security concernsWashington, Taiwan’s most important security partner and arms supplier, has repeatedly urged Taipei to accelerate defence reforms and increase spending to counter mounting military pressure from Beijing.

Taiwan NewsThe political standoff in the legislature has raised concerns among U.S. policymakers that delays could slow Taiwan’s acquisition of key defence systems intended to improve its ability to repel a potential attack.China regularly conducts military exercises around Taiwan and has refused formal dialogue with Lai, whom Beijing labels a separatist. Lai has rejected the claim and says only Taiwan’s people can decide the island’s future. Cross-strait diplomacy adds political tensionThe budget dispute has also unfolded alongside sensitive cross-strait political developments.Senior figures in the KMT have said the party remains in contact with the Chinese Communist Party and are working toward a potential visit to China later this year. KMT leaders have expressed hope that such a trip could include a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping. The prospect of political engagement with Beijing has drawn scrutiny from some Taiwanese officials and analysts, who say defence policy and cross-strait relations are becoming increasingly intertwined in domestic politics.For now, negotiations over the defence spending package remain unresolved in parliament, leaving the scale and timeline of Taiwan’s planned military procurement uncertain.