US President Trump may visit China in April

US President Donald Trump could visit China as early as next month, as the American leader has appeared focused on hammering out a deal with Beijing since his return to the White House, South China Morning Post reported, citing multiple diplomatic sources.

The presidents of both countries would like the other side to visit to present it as a diplomatic triumph, but initial discussions have been around Trump visiting China, according to sources.

It is unclear how far discussions about a potential trip have progressed.

Chinese President Xi Jinping (R) meets with his U.S. counterpart Donald Trump to discuss bilateral ties and global hot-spot issues on the sidelines of a Group of 20 (G20) summit, in Hamburg, Germany, July 8, 2017. (Xinhua/Yao Dawei)

If it were to happen, Xi would meet Trump prior to a trip to Moscow to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin in May, the newspaper reported.

Trump seeks to invite Xi to his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida, but China would prefer a more formal meeting in Washington or Beijing, the sources said.

A Trump visit to Beijing following China’s “two sessions” — annual meetings of the National People’s Congress and the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference — would be an “important diplomatic victory,” they said.

The Wall Street Journal yesterday reported that the US and China are discussing a “birthday summit” between the two leaders in June.