US President Donald Trump said Chinese President Xi Jinping wants the Strait of Hormuz 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 both leaders agreed that the strategically crucial shipping route, effectively shut since the Iran war began in late February, must reopen to stabilise global energy supplies.“He’d like to see the Hormuz Strait open,” Trump said of Xi.
“He said if I can be of any help whatsoever, I would like to help.”Around 20 per cent of the world’s oil passed through the Strait of Hormuz before the conflict erupted, with prolonged disruptions pushing global crude prices sharply higher and raising fears of a wider economic slowdown.Trump said Xi also opposed any proposal to impose tolls on ships crossing the strait and expressed interest in China potentially buying more American oil in the future to reduce its dependence on Gulf energy supplies.Iran, economy dominate Trump-Xi talksThe Iran conflict emerged as a major focus during the two-hour meeting between the leaders at the Great Hall of the People, despite Trump earlier downplaying the issue before leaving for Beijing.US secretary of state Marco Rubio had said before the summit that Washington would urge Beijing to pressure....
