US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping agreed during talks in Beijing on Thursday (May 14th) that the Strait of Hormuz must remain open and unmilitarized, amid growing global concerns over the ongoing Iran conflict and disruptions to global energy supplies.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio also said the two leaders also agreed that Iran should not be allowed to develop nuclear weapons.
“The Chinese side has said they are not in favor of militarizing the Strait of Hormuz and they are not in favor of a toll system, and that is our position,” Rubio told NBC News after Trump and Xi held more than two hours of talks with their delegations in Beijing.
Iran war dominates Trump’s visit to China
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During talks in Beijing, Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping agreed that the Strait of Hormuz must remain open and unmilitarized. They also agreed that Iran should not be allowed to develop nuclear weapons.
Iran’s blockade and military threats around the Strait of Hormuz have disrupted global shipping and contributed to rising fuel prices worldwide. The strait typically handles about a fifth of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas supplies.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio called on China to persuade Iran to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz, saying it was in China’s economic interest. China is Iran’s largest oil buyer and a key diplomatic partner.
US President Donald Trump has repeatedly said that preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon is a top priority. Both Trump and Xi Jinping agreed during their talks that Iran should not be allowed to develop nuclear weapons.
Taiwan was a prominent topic as Xi warned Trump that mishandling the issue could lead to “clashes and even conflicts”. The US position is that any forced change to the status quo would be bad for both countries.
The Iran conflict has emerged as a central issue during Trump’s long-delayed trip to China, which has reportedly been delayed by six weeks due to escalating tensions in the Middle East.
Trump was widely expected to ask Beijing for help in de-escalating the US-Israel conflict with Iran. But Rubio insisted that Washington was not asking Beijing to intervene directly.
“We’re not asking for China’s help. We don’t need their help,” Rubio told the newspaper.
At the same time, he recognized that the global oil crisis affects all major economies.
“At some point, we’re not immune to global oil prices because we’re buying in the global market, but other countries around the world are paying a much higher price,” Rubio said.
Iran’s blockade and military threats around the strait have disrupted global shipping and contributed to rising fuel prices around the world.
Common ground on Iran’s nuclear program
Rubio said Trump and Xi have found “common ground” on Iran’s nuclear ambitions.
Trump has repeatedly said that preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon remains a top priority for his administration amid the ongoing regional conflict.
Rubio also defended Trump’s recent remarks that he wasn’t “one bit” worried about domestic political pressure from rising energy costs during negotiations with Iran.
“The president is making it clear that if the Iranians think they’re going to use our domestic politics to push him into a bad deal, that’s not going to happen,” Rubio said.
China has been calling for a diplomatic solution to the war, which began on February 28.
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Taiwan is emerging as another flashpoint
In addition to Iran, Taiwan featured prominently in the Trump-Xi discussions, reflecting one of the most sensitive fault lines in US-China relations.
Rubio said U.S. arms sales to Taiwan “didn’t feature prominently” during Thursday’s talks, although the Trump administration approved an $11 billion arms package for Taiwan earlier this year.
“From our perspective, any forced change to the status quo and the situation that is there now would be bad for both countries,” Rubio said.
Xi warned Trump that mishandling the Taiwan issue could lead to “clashes and even conflicts,” according to Beijing’s official reading.
China claims Taiwan as part of its territory and has increased military pressure on the island, frequently sending warplanes and naval vessels to Taiwan.
Trump will raise Jimmy Lai’s case with Xi
Rubio also confirmed to the newspaper that Trump discussed the case of Hong Kong pro-democracy publisher Jimmy Lai during the summit.
Lai, 78, was sentenced this year to 20 years in prison under Hong Kong’s national security law in a case widely criticized by Western governments and human rights groups.
“The president always raises this case and several others, and of course we’re going to hope to get a positive response from that,” Rubio said.
Asked if the US would accept Lai if he were released, Rubio said: “We would be open to any arrangement that would work for them as long as they give him freedom.”
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