Donald Trump and Xi Jinping held what the White House described as a “good” meeting on Thursday, during which both leaders agreed that the Strait of Hormuz “must remain open.”
Gatekeepers News reports that the strategic waterway has experienced major shipping disruptions since the outbreak of conflict involving Iran, the United States, and Israel on February 28.
According to the White House, the two leaders emphasised the importance of keeping the route accessible to maintain global energy supplies.
“The two sides agreed that the Strait of Hormuz must remain open to support the free flow of energy,” the White House said.
The Strait of Hormuz is a critical global shipping corridor through which about one-fifth of the world’s oil and natural gas supplies normally pass.
China has been significantly affected by the disruptions, as more than half of its seaborne crude oil imports originate from the Middle East and transit through the strait, according to maritime analytics firm Kpler.
The White House also stated that Xi expressed interest in increasing purchases of American oil as part of efforts to reduce China’s dependence on the waterway in the future.
However, Beijing’s official account of the meeting did not mention any discussion about buying more US oil.
Similarly, the White House statement made no reference to Taiwan, the self-governed island claimed by China and one of the most sensitive issues in US-China relations.
Earlier, Chinese state media reported that Xi warned that “conflict” could erupt between China and the United States if the Taiwan issue is mishandled.
