U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping shake hands as they depart following a bilateral meeting at Gimhae Air Base on October 30, 2025 in Busan, South Korea. Andrew Harnik/Getty Images AsiaPac hide caption

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Andrew Harnik/Getty Images AsiaPac

Initially delayed by the war with Iran, President Trump leaves for a state visit to China on Tuesday.

But the war is not in the rear view mirror as he had hoped. The ceasefire with Iran is "on massive life support," as Trump put it Monday and the conflict is in an unsteady and uncertain holding pattern.

"It is remarkable that President Trump is prepared to go to China under these circumstances," said Kurt Campbell, chairman of The Asia Group and a top Biden administration adviser on China. "But may I also say that it's also deeply unusual that China is prepared to host him."

China and Iran are close allies and trading partners, and the U.S. has just spent weeks bombing Iran and is now blockading all ships connected to Iran.…