"President Xi Jinping said very decisively that he would not provide military equipment to Iran. He wants to see the Strait of Hormuz reopened and said 'if I can help in any way, I'm willing to help'," US President Donald Trump said in an interview with Fox News today, following his meeting with the Chinese leader in Beijing.
China maintains close ties with Iran and is also the largest consumer of oil from the West Asian nation.
"President Xi wants to see a deal signed. He really wants that," President Trump added, referring to a potential agreement to end the Middle East conflict.
China has not yet commented on the US president's statement.
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President Xi Jinping (right) and President Donald Trump at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on 14/5. Photo: AFP |
President Xi Jinping (right) and President Donald Trump at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on 14/5. Photo: AFP
During the interview, Trump also stated that China had agreed to order 200 Boeing aircraft. Boeing CEO Kelly Ortberg, a member of the US president's delegation, had previously expressed hope that the Trump administration would help the company secure a large order from China.
Before the US president's visit to China, many anticipated that he would urge Beijing to pressure Tehran to accept a peace agreement and reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial shipping lane that had been nearly blockaded since the conflict erupted.
In a statement following the summit between the leaders of the two countries in Beijing, the White House indicated that China agreed the strait "must remain open." Beijing also opposed militarization and the charging of fees for passage through the strait.
In an interview with NBC News on the same day, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that Washington did not ask Beijing for assistance with the issue concerning Tehran. "We raised this issue to clarify our position and for them to understand, because it is reasonable. We will discuss it because this is a very important issue," he said.
State banquet for President Donald Trump at the Great Hall of the People on the evening of 14/5. Video: Reuters
Huyen Le (According to Reuters, AFP, CNN)
