So here's a fun bit of geopolitical tea-leaf reading for a Sunday. President Donald Trump says Chinese President Xi Jinping is "very happy" about something. And not just anything—about the Strait of Hormuz reopening. You know, that little shipping lane where about a fifth of the world's oil passes through. The one that's been a bit of a hotspot lately.

Trump posted on Truth Social Friday that "President Xi is very happy that the Strait of Hormuz is open and/or rapidly opening." The "and/or" is doing some serious diplomatic lifting there, but the message is clear: things are looking up in a region that's been looking down for a while.

The Big Meeting That Almost Wasn't

This all matters because Trump and Xi are about to have what Trump is calling a "special" and "potentially historic" meeting in China. He added, "I look forward to being with President Xi — Much will be accomplished!"

But here's the thing: this meeting was supposed to happen already. Trump was scheduled to travel to Beijing on May 14 and 15, but that was actually the rescheduled date. The original plan was for March 31. Why the delay? Well, the U.S. and Israel launched strikes on Iran, and apparently the president needed to stick around for that.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed that Trump and Xi had a chat about the postponement, saying Xi "understood that it's very important for the president to be here throughout these combat operations." That's diplomatic speak for "Yeah, we had to rain check because we were busy with some other stuff."

Xi is also expected to make a return visit to Washington later, because what's a major power relationship without some reciprocal state visits?

The Not-So-Happy Recent History

Now, if Xi is "very happy" now, he wasn't exactly thrilled recently. Last week, the Chinese president was out there criticizing global instability, saying the "international order is crumbling into disarray" and warning against a return to the "law of the jungle." That's not typically the language you use when you're pleased with how things are going.

China had also specifically called out the U.S. blockade of Iranian ports near the Strait of Hormuz, labeling it "dangerous and irresponsible" and warning it could have weakened a fragile ceasefire. A Chinese official later suggested a "comprehensive ceasefire" could have eased tensions. So from "dangerous and irresponsible" to "very happy" is quite the pivot, if Trump's characterization is accurate.

For his part, Trump has been claiming victory. Earlier this month, he said the U.S. achieved a "total and complete victory" after a two-week ceasefire with Iran. He added that Tehran had submitted a 10-point proposal he called a "workable basis" for negotiations. So in Trump's telling, the U.S. handled its business with Iran, which made the Strait situation better, which made Xi happy, which sets the stage for a big win in China.

It's a neat narrative if it holds together. The reality of tanker traffic and regional tensions might be more complicated, but for now, the stage is set for what Trump is hyping as a "monumental event." We'll see in May if the reality matches the preview.