US President Donald Trump has hinted that he may postpone a planned visit to China at the end of the month, in an attempt to pressure Beijing to help restore shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, the Associated Press reports.
Trump said in an interview with the Financial Times that China's dependence on oil from the Middle East means it should help with a new coalition that the US President is trying to form to restore oil tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz. In particular, according to Trump, before the trip "we would like to know" whether Beijing will help.
"We may postpone the visit," Trump said.
The publication notes that the cancellation of a personal meeting with Chinese leader Xi Jinping could have serious economic consequences, as relations between Washington and Beijing have been tense amid threats of high tariffs from both sides over the past year.
Meanwhile, a spokesman for the Chinese Foreign Ministry only indicated that China and the United States are in contact regarding Trump's visit.
"Diplomacy at the level of heads of state plays an indispensable strategic role in China-US relations," he said at a daily briefing.
Trump's statement came as US Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent met with Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng in Paris for a new round of trade talks that were to pave the way for Trump's trip to Beijing. The US and China have declared a truce that has prevented either side from imposing retaliatory tariffs.
Blockade of the Strait of Hormuz
The Strait of Hormuz connects the Persian Gulf with the Arabian Sea. Before the start of hostilities against Iran, about 20% of the world's oil consumption passed through it. After the start of the Israeli-US operation, the strait was effectively blocked, with hundreds of tankers clustered on both sides, as shipowners fear attacks from Iran.
As Ukrainian News Agency earlier reported, Trump announced the dispatch of an international fleet to guard the Strait of Hormuz. He hopes that ships will also be sent by China, France, Japan, South Korea and the United Kingdom.
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