US President Donald Trump said on Monday that he is planning to delay a high stakes visit to China later in March by about a month because of the Iran war.

“We’ve requested that we delay it a month or so,” he told reporters at the White House, adding that it was important that he remained available to oversee the war.

The meeting between Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping is currently set to take place between 31 March to 2 April, following their last face to face talks in October last year.

Chinese foreign affairs spokesman Lin Jian said yesterday that Beijing and Washington are in talks over “the timing and related matters of President Trump’s visit to China”.

China also rejected any connection between the delayed meeting and issues around the Strait of Hormuz a critical waterway for global energy shipments from the Gulf.

“We have noted that the US side has publicly clarified these false reports by the media, stating that the relevant reports are completely wrong, and emphasised that the visit has nothing to do with the issue of the open navigation of the Strait of Hormuz,” Jian said.

On Sunday, Trump told the Financial Times he might postpone the meeting if China did not help unblock the Strait of Hormuz. But on Monday, he said he had proposed the delay solely to make sure he was around to manage the war.

“I’m looking forward to being with him,” he said, referring to Xi. “We have a very good relationship.”

“There are no tricks to it either,” Trump added. “It’s very simple. We’ve got a war going on. I think it’s important that I be here.”

The Iran war has eclipsed most of Trump’s other foreign policy priorities, faced with an intensifying conflict and disruptions to the global oil supply, which has threatened to raise prices in the US.

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said on Monday that the meeting’s delay would not be due to Washington’s request that Beijing help in the Gulf, or any trade disagreements.

Bessent said: “The President wants to remain in DC to coordinate the war effort. Travelling abroad at a time like this may not be optimal.”

Trump’s remarks come as frictions between the world’s two largest economies have grown, fuelled by the Iran war.

Beijing is a major buyer of Iranian energy exports and has criticised the US and Israeli strikes against the country.

Washington also announced it would investigate trade practices among a list of countries, including China, after Trump’s signature tariff policy was struck down by the Supreme Court in February.

Representatives from the US and China have met in Paris in recent days for negotiations, such as over investments, tariffs and economic sanctions.

The sides reached consensus on some issues and will carry on with negotiations, Chinese trade representative Li Chenggang was quoted as saying in state media outlet Xinhua on Monday.

US representatives briefed their Chinese counterparts on changes to Washington’s tariff measures, said Li.

Chinese negotiators expressed “serious concern” about Washington’s plans to probe the country’s trade practices and urged the US to maintain economic stability, he said.

By Elijah Oguche, Abuja

The group under the auspices of the Divine Mandate Kaduna State Chapter on Monday evening lauded Benue State Governor Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Iormem Alia for relocating some Internally Displaced Persons in Benue back to ancestral homes.

Coordinator of Divine Mandate Kaduna State Chapter Comrade Emmanuel Atule who spoke during a courtesy call on the New Benue Liaison Director in Kaduna said that, the Governor through a sincere synergy with some security agencies have relocated some displaced persons to their ancestral homes.

“I cannot argue that there is no insecurity in Benue State. There is insecurity in Benue State, which is the major challenge that we are facing now.

But my advice to the people of Benue State, especially the stakeholders, is that the issue of insecurity is not a one-man business.” He stressed.

On food production in Benue State, Atule revealed that “food production in Benue State State is still on the high side because on assumptions of office, the governor of the State, subsidized fertilizer to N17,500 per bag. And not just that, he subsidized other agro products for farmers to get access to them and farm very well. And as a result of that, there is enough food in Benue State”.

Earlier, the new Director Benue Liaison office in Kaduna Mr. Andrew Anure who resumed work on Monday said Governor Hyacinth Alia has not failed.

According to Anure, Benue State is witnessing massive road networking, industrialization, transparency in Government policies and substantial medical breakthrough via deliberate expansion of Hospital facilities in the State.

He promised to support Benue Community in Kaduna for purposeful development especially in management and expansion of the state assets like the Benue links and others

A youth leader from Enugu North, Comrade Ezekiel Eze has felicitated the Governor of Enugu State, Peter Mbah who turned 54 years yesterday, describing him as the best politician in the State. 

Speaking with our Correspondent in Abuja, Comrade Ezekiel said that Enugu State has not seen the best of Governor Mbah yet, until he returns for the second term emphasizing that “the people of the state are proud of such an illustrious son who is driving major developmental strides, moving Enugu forward with the desired speed”.

“I’m happy to have Governor Mbah as my leader both at the party and government levels.

He’s a very brilliant man, with deft political calculation and unmatched excellence in developmental strides. He has changed the face of the state in all ramifications. Where do I start mentioning his achievements? In Sports, Enugu Rangers is second on the premier league table. On transportation, have you flown Enugu Air, which his government singlehandedly brought for us? Check the indices on education where he’s building Smart schools across each community in the state. On infrastructure, security, agriculture and see for your self. So, I’m wishing him a resounding, gracious and fruitful birthday”, he said. 

Comrade Ezekiel, who recently declared his interest to fill the vacant Enugu North senatorial seat however urged the entire people of Enugu North to support the government of Governor Mbah, saying that as a loyal party member, his support for APC both at the national and state level was unprecedented. 

” Let me use this opportunity to wish my Governor, His Excellency Peter Ndubusi Mbah a happy birthday. He’s a perfect gentleman who came into governance for the good of the common people. He’s liberal, intelligent and extremely pro people. He has given Enugu a beautiful face lift and he would do more when he returns to complete his tenure. I support him with my body and soul. I appeal to all persons from Enugu North to support him because the records of his works are there for everyone to see. 

” Yes, I’m interested in becoming the senator representing Enugu North. I’m young,like my Governor and also his political student. Governance now is for young people with sound and positive mindset. The era of old people are gone, and the surge in technology bears testimony to this”, he said. 

Speaking on his chances of winning the party ticket, Comrade Ezekiel said he’s very optimistic and doing everything within his reach to actualize the dream. 

“I’m not going in for showmanship. I’m fully out for the contest and I’m sure of victory. Why shouldn’t I win? I have consulted far and wide,but much more than anything else, I’m mentally and physically prepared to walk to the Senate and bring the best of legislative excellence to my people”, he said.

Enugu North is currently without a senator at the national assembly, following the death of Okey Ezea who passed on recently; a vacuum Comrade Ezekiel believes he’s to fill in.