U.S. President Donald Trump late on March 16 told reporters that the United States had requested that China delay a summit in Beijing with President Xi Jinping by "a month or so," Bloomberg reported the same day. Trump cited the Iran war as the reason for the delay.

This comes after Trump earlier on March 16 urged China to assist with naval escort missions to ensure safe passage for oil tankers through the Strait of Hormuz. Trump added that if China did not assist, "we may delay" the summit.