Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Set for US Visit to Pave Way for Xi Jinping Meeting

Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Ma Zhaoxu is expected to travel to the United States next week, a visit anticipated to lay the groundwork for President Xi Jinping's potential trip to Washington later this year. Sources familiar with the matter indicated that Ma, who has been instrumental in managing US-China relations, will be in Washington. The itinerary may also include a stop in Miami, the host city for the Group of 20 summit scheduled for December.

This visit by Ma is expected to bring greater certainty to Xi's anticipated trip, which could foster increased stability between the world's two largest economies. Xi last visited the U.S. in 2023, attending the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in San Francisco, where he held sideline discussions with then-President Joe Biden. Analysts express cautious optimism that these upcoming diplomatic engagements could help stabilize relations ahead of a potential summit with U.S. President Donald Trump in September.

"If Ma's trip materializes, it will serve as a temperature check on US-China relations, potentially paving the way for positive surprises during President Xi's visit in September," said Feng Chucheng, founder and partner of Hutong Research, a Beijing-based strategic consultancy. The trip is viewed as a crucial step in assessing the current state of bilateral ties and identifying areas for potential cooperation or de-escalation.

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If Ma's trip materialises, it will serve as a temperature check on US-China relations, potentially paving the way for positive surprises during President Xi's visit in September.