United States President Donald Trump said Chinese President Xi Jinping supports reopening the Strait of Hormuz, a vital global shipping route that has been effectively closed since the outbreak of the Iran conflict in late February. After talks in Beijing, Trump said both leaders agreed that restoring access to the strait is essential to stabilise global energy supplies, as disruptions have driven up oil prices and raised concerns about a broader economic slowdown.

Trump said Xi also opposed imposing tolls on ships passing through the strait and signalled that China may consider buying more American oil to reduce reliance on Gulf energy sources. The Iran conflict dominated much of their two hour meeting, with Washington urging Beijing to use its influence as Iran’s largest trading partner to help bring the crisis to an end.

Despite ongoing disagreements over Iran, Taiwan and trade, Trump described relations between the two countries as improving. Xi hosted Trump at a prominent leadership compound in Beijing, a gesture seen as diplomatically significant, though tensions remained over Taiwan, with both sides reaffirming their longstanding positions while warning against actions that could lead to conflict.