From “Big Handshake” to “Big Warning”: How Iran Changed Everything for Trump and Xi

The U.S. and Israel launched major military strikes on Iran on February 28, 2026, killing Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and targeting key leadership in a bid for regime change. China, caught off guard and unnotified, condemned the action as a violation of international law, expressing deep concern over regional spillover.

This has cast uncertainty over President Trump's planned March visit to China and potential summit with Xi Jinping. Analysts note it shattered Beijing's hopes for a grand strategic deal on trade, Taiwan, and global influence, boosting Trump's tough posture while exposing limits to Sino-U.S. co-governance illusions.

Domestically in China, official media downplays the humiliation by blaming "last madness of American hegemony" and technical gaps in Iran's defenses, while online reactions link it to fears of U.S. assertiveness nearing closer to Beijing's allies. Expectations for Trump's trip have shifted from apology to possible warnings, reshaping U.S.-China dynamics amid Middle East chaos.

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