us President donald trump Chinese President said Xi Jinping Wants the Strait of Hormuz to be reopened, as the two leaders discussed the ongoing Iran conflict and global energy disruptions during high-level talks in Beijing.Speaking to Fox News after his meeting with Xi, Trump said the two leaders agreed that the strategically important shipping route, closed since the Iran war began in late February, should be reopened to stabilize global energy supplies.“He would like to see the Strait of Hormuz open,” Trump said of Xi. “He said if I can help in any way, I’d like to help.”About 20 percent of the world’s oil passed through the Strait of Hormuz before the conflict began, with the prolonged disruption causing global crude prices to rise sharply and raising fears of a broader economic recession.Trump said Xi opposed any proposal to impose tolls on ships transiting the strait and expressed interest in China potentially buying more US oil in the future to reduce its dependence on Gulf energy supplies.

Iran, economy dominate Trump-Xi talks

The Iran conflict emerged as a major focus during the two-hour meeting between the leaders at the Great Hall of the People, although Trump had downplayed the issue before visiting Beijing.US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said before the summit that Washington would urge Beijing to pressure Tehran to end the conflict.“Economies are melting down because of this crisis,” Rubio said, as quoted by the AP, warning that prolonged instability would ultimately hurt Chinese exports as well.China has publicly criticized US and Israeli attacks on Iran, but analysts say Beijing enjoys considerable leverage as Iran’s largest trading partner.

Despite tensions, Trump praised relations with Xi

Concluding his visit, Trump stressed that relations between Washington and Beijing were improving despite disagreements over Iran, Taiwan and trade.In the Truth Social post, Trump claimed Xi had congratulated him on his administration’s “tremendous successes” and said the Chinese leader’s comments about America being a “declining nation” were directed at former President Joe Biden rather than the current administration.“Two years ago, we were truly a nation in decline,” Trump wrote. “But now, the United States is the hottest nation in the world.”Xi also hosted Trump at Zhongnanhai, a Chinese leadership compound usually reserved for special diplomatic engagements, which observers saw as a personal gesture toward the US president.

Taiwan remains a major flashpoint

Despite the cordial public tone, Taiwan remained a sensitive issue during the summit.According to news agency AP, Xi privately warned Trump that mishandling the Taiwan issue could push the two countries toward “conflict and even conflict.”Rubio later said that US policy on Taiwan would remain “unchanged” and warned that it would be “a terrible mistake” for China to attempt to take over the self-ruled island by force.Trump and Xi also discussed potential trade deals, including increasing Chinese purchases of American agricultural products and Boeing aircraft, as both sides sought to ease economic tensions amid broader geopolitical uncertainty.