By Blessing 
President-elect Donald Trump has expressed interest in visiting China during the first 100 days of his presidency, according to a report by The Wall Street Journal. Trump shared this plan privately with his advisers.
This revelation follows a phone call between Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday. Trump previously visited Beijing in 2017, but aides emphasized to the Journal that no final decision has been made regarding a trip to China in the coming months. The report also mentioned Trump’s desire to visit India.
A potential visit to China would coincide with Trump’s commitment to imposing 60% tariffs on all Chinese imports—a key promise of his administration. Trump noted that trade was one of the topics discussed during his call with Xi.
“It is my expectation that we will solve many problems together, and starting immediately. We discussed balancing Trade, Fentanyl, TikTok, and many other subjects,” Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social.
Although Trump invited Xi to attend his inauguration on Monday, the Chinese leader declined the invitation, opting to send Vice President Han Zheng instead. A trip to China would align with Trump’s strategy of engaging directly with foreign leaders, including adversaries, as he did with Xi and Russian President Vladimir Putin during his first term.
Jason Miller, a senior adviser to Trump, told CNN that the president’s approach to diplomacy was highly effective during his first four years. “One of the things that President Trump did so effectively is understanding that if you want to enact change—whether it’s with an adversary or a rival, like China—you have to talk to them directly and make your intentions clear,” Miller said.
Miller clarified, “Does that mean we’re going to be buddy-buddy? No, not at all. If anything, it means President Trump can be tougher in those conversations.”
In his first week in office, Trump plans to visit multiple U.S. cities while announcing executive orders on topics like energy and immigration. This includes a stop in Los Angeles to assess damage from recent wildfires, the Journal reported.