Trump says Xi offered help on Iran as China seeks to keep Hormuz open
Chinese leader’s overture underscores how global issues are increasingly shaping US-China diplomacy and trade talks
US President Donald Trump said Chinese President Xi Jinping offered to help broker an end to the Iran conflict and ensure freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, underscoring how Middle East tensions have become intertwined with a broader effort by Washington and Beijing to steady relations.
In an interview with Fox News host Sean Hannity set to air on Thursday evening in the US, Trump said Xi had personally expressed willingness to assist amid mounting concerns over disruptions in one of the world’s most important oil shipping lanes.
“President Xi would like to see a deal made,” Trump said. “He did offer, he said ‘if I can be of any help at all, I would like to be of help.’”
“The references to Iran, energy security and the Strait of Hormuz show that the agenda is no longer only bilateral,” said Jing Qian, vice-president of the Asia Society and managing director of its Centre for China Analysis.
“The two sides are beginning to talk about shared systemic risks,” he added. “Different language, but both point toward the same strategic necessity: avoiding uncontrolled escalation.”