Trump, Xi agree Hormuz must remain open, Iran can never have nukes

Donald Trump and Xi Jinping met in Beijing and agreed the Strait of Hormuz must remain open. The White House said they also agreed Iran must never obtain a nuclear weapon.

In Short

• White House said both delegations met for more than two hours
• Xi opposed militarising the waterway and imposing tolls on transit
• Beijing signalled interest in buying more American oil during disruptions

US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping found rare common ground during high-stakes talks in Beijing on Thursday, agreeing that the Strait of Hormuz must remain open. According to the White House, they also agreed that Iran should never obtain a nuclear weapon.

"The two sides agreed that the Strait of Hormuz must remain open to support the free flow of energy," the White House said in a statement after more than two hours of meetings between the American and Chinese delegations in Beijing.

The statement added that Xi opposed "the militarization of the Strait and any effort to charge a toll for its use".

It also revealed that China had expressed interest in purchasing more American oil in an effort to reduce its long-term dependence on the Gulf route, which has been heavily disrupted since Iran tightened control over Hormuz following the outbreak of the US-Israeli war.

"Both countries agreed that Iran can never have a nuclear weapon," the White House added.

- Ends