The White House announced Wednesday that President Donald Trump is scheduled to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping in May.

White House spokesperson Caroline Levitt confirmed the visit dates of May 14-15 and told reporters that Xi Jinping would visit the United States at a later date, though no specific date has been set.

Levitt stated, "We are pleased to announce that the long-awaited meeting between President Trump and President Xi will take place on May 14-15," adding, "President Trump and the First Lady, Melania Trump, will host President Xi and his wife, Peng Liyuan, in Washington D.C. at a date to be announced later this year."

This announcement comes after the postponement of an originally scheduled visit to China, as Middle East conflicts have become a major point of contention in U.S. foreign policy. The Trump administration has been seeking negotiations with Iran, but senior Iranian leaders have rejected U.S. proposals and presented tough counter-conditions.

According to Iranian media, the five conditions demanded by Iran are as follows:

1. Complete cessation of the enemy's "aggression and assassinations."

2. Concrete guarantees that war will not be imposed on Iran again.

3. War reparations must be guaranteed and clearly defined.

4. End of the war on all fronts, including all resistance groups in the region.

5. International recognition and guarantees of Iran's sovereign authority over the Strait of Hormuz.

Previously, the 15 items proposed by the U.S. were known to include sanctions relief, reduction of Iran's nuclear program, missile restrictions, and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, through which one-fifth of the world's oil is transported.

Mohamed Ghalibaf, the speaker of the Iranian parliament, who was known as one of Iran's key figures negotiating with the U.S., has emerged as a hardliner and publicly warned Gulf countries not to support the U.S. occupation of Iranian islands, stating that Tehran would attack their infrastructure if they did.

He stated on Wednesday, "According to some reports, Iran's enemies are preparing to occupy one of Iran's islands with the support of a country in the region," adding, "All enemy movements are under the thorough surveillance of our military. If they cross the line, all major infrastructure of the concerned regional country will be the target of merciless attacks without any restrictions."

However, with the announcement of President Trump's visit to China, the Associated Press analyzed, "Spokesperson Levitt struck an optimistic tone that the war with Iran could reach its conclusion before the President's trip."

This is because Levitt stated, "We have said that we estimate the duration of the war with Iran to be approximately 4 to 6 weeks. You can do the math from there."

When asked if the two leaders had discussed the end of the war and if that was a prerequisite for rescheduling the meeting, Levitt drew a line, saying "No," and added, "President Xi understood the critical importance of President Trump remaining here [in the U.S.] during the operational period of combat. He naturally understood and accepted the request for postponement."

President Trump also announced the visit to China via Truth Social, stating, "The delegations of both countries are finalizing preparations for this historic visit. I sincerely look forward to a historic meeting with President Xi Jinping."

President Trump can deploy military force for a maximum of 60 days without a formal declaration of war or congressional approval under the War Powers Resolution of 1973.

Five weeks after the start of Operation Epic Fury on February 28th would be Saturday, April 4th, the day before Easter, and 60 days would be Tuesday, April 28th.

While there may be debates in Congress, many believe that in practice, Congress will have no way to forcibly halt a war already initiated by the President. The Supreme Court's stance is also relevant here; with six conservative justices, the situation is favorable to President Trump.

However, there are concerns that prolonging the war without broad public support could lead to a Republican defeat in the November midterm elections. 

By Sung Ku Hong, Chief Reporter, NNP USA / Special Contribution, NNP info@newsandpost.com