‘There are still proxies that Iran supports. There are ballistic missiles that they still want to produce’

By Hibbey DeanUpdated: May 12, 2026 / 02:48 AM CDT

NewsNation) — President Donald Trump is expected to use the trip to China this week to urge Chinese President Xi Jinping to pressure Iran to make concessions and end the current limbo.

Beijing is the biggest buyer of the Islamic Republic’s sanctioned crude oil, giving it leverage.

Trump and Xi are set to discuss Iran, Taiwan, artificial intelligence and nuclear weapons as they weigh extending a minerals deal, according to U.S. officials previewing Trump’s two-day visit to China.

This week’s meeting will be Trump and Xi’s first face-to-face talks in more than six months as they try to stabilize ties strained by trade, U.S.-Israeli war with Iran and other areas of disagreement.