Trump and Xi agree Strait of Hormuz must stay open

White House readout says Trump and Xi agreed the Strait of Hormuz must remain open and Iran can never have a nuclear weapon.

A critical global shipping corridor is back at the center of U.S.-China diplomacy after President Trump and China’s Xi Jinping agreed the Strait of Hormuz “must remain open. ” with the White House linking the pledge to energy security and warning that Iran must be blocked from obtaining nuclear weapons.

In a readout released after the two leaders met in Beijing on Thursday, the White House said the U.S.. and China agreed the strait must stay open to support the “free flow of energy.” The same readout also said Xi underscored China’s opposition to any “militarization” of the waterway and rejected efforts to charge a toll for passage.

That message arrives as both countries navigate the economic shockwaves of a widening conflict in the Persian Gulf. The White House said Xi also expressed interest in purchasing more American oil, a move tied to reducing China’s dependence on routes that run through the Strait of Hormuz.

The meeting also produced a clear nuclear policy line. The White House readout said both countries agreed Iran can never have a nuclear weapon.

Ahead of the summit. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Washington had already made clear that any Chinese support for Iran would harm the relationship.. Rubio argued on Fox News that China has an interest in resolving the conflict’s impacts on oil shipments. and he said the U.S.. hoped to push Beijing toward a more active role in encouraging Iran to step back from what he described as its actions in the Persian Gulf.

Rubio’s argument was tied not only to security but to economics. He told the network that China’s export-driven model would be disrupted if the crisis worsens, saying consumers would buy fewer Chinese products because of the strain on the strait and the broader market effects of instability.

Trump has also publicly linked the Iran issue to the realities of China’s oil supply. Last week, he told reporters that he and Xi would be discussing Iran, and he described Xi as “very nice” about the situation, without detailing policy specifics.

While the White House readout focused on the strait and the nuclear issue, it did not mention Taiwan. Still, Chinese media reporting indicated Xi raised the topic during the talks, highlighting how the summit is unfolding against a backdrop of wider U.S.-China tensions beyond the Middle East.

The Trump-Xi meeting unfolded in a week marked by escalating maritime and military developments around the same corridor.. A U.K.. maritime agency said a vessel off the United Arab Emirates coast was taken by unauthorized personnel while at anchor near Fujairah. and is now bound for Iranian territorial waters.. The report placed the incident about 38 nautical miles northeast of Fujairah.

That incident sits alongside a broader pattern of attacks and disruptions affecting shipping in and near the strait as Iran and the United States pursue rival approaches to maritime pressure.. The material supplied in the coverage notes that Iran has largely blocked shipping through the strait since the outbreak of war with the United States and Israel on February 28. while the U.S.. has imposed its own naval blockade on Iranian ports despite a fragile ceasefire in place since April 8.

Multiple more recent incidents underscore how volatile the area remains. The coverage also referenced reporting that a South Korean cargo ship was struck by unidentified aircraft in Hormuz, and that Qatar said a freighter arriving in its waters from Abu Dhabi was hit by a drone.

Separately. India’s foreign ministry said an “unacceptable” attack off the coast of Oman on Wednesday involved an Indian-flagged vessel. but that the crew is safe after Omani authorities carried out a rescue.. The statement said the attack is deplorable and that commercial shipping and civilian mariners continue to be targeted. while declining to name who was responsible.

In the land conflict tied to the same U.S.-brokered diplomatic push in the region. Israeli forces reported multiple strikes connected to Hezbollah activity in southern Lebanon.. The Israeli military said a Hezbollah drone struck inside Israel near the border. injuring several Israeli civilians who were evacuated for medical treatment.

Hours later, the Israeli army said it began striking Hezbollah infrastructure sites across southern Lebanon, issuing evacuation warnings for a number of villages. Hezbollah is described in the coverage as a major Iran-backed paramilitary group.

Those strikes came as the U.S.. prepares to host fresh Israel-Lebanon peace talks in Washington, with the latest ceasefire nearing its end.. Lebanon and Israel are set to hold new talks starting Thursday after the two sides last met on April 23 at the White House. when Trump announced a three-week ceasefire extension and said he was optimistic about a potential historic agreement.

Trump had previously predicted that within the extended ceasefire window he would welcome Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Lebanese President Joseph Aoun to Washington for a first summit.. That meeting did not occur. with Aoun later saying a security arrangement needed to be in place and Israeli attacks had to stop before any landmark symbolic gathering could happen.

The provided coverage adds detail about Lebanon’s priorities for the upcoming discussions. citing Lebanese sources that Aoun instructed his delegation to focus first on securing a full ceasefire and stopping Israeli demolition operations before turning to other issues.. Lebanon’s stated demands include an Israeli withdrawal from occupied Lebanese areas. prisoner releases. the return of displaced residents. and stronger Lebanese army deployment along the border.

The ceasefire had been extended through Sunday, and since the ceasefire first took effect on April 17, Israeli strikes have killed more than 400 people, based on an AFP tally using figures from Lebanese authorities.

As U.S.. pressure operations around Iran continue at sea, the U.S.. military said it has allowed limited humanitarian shipping through its blockade.. Central Command said that since the blockade on Iranian ports began, it permitted 15 merchant vessels “supporting humanitarian aid” to pass.. The coverage notes that the list included ships allowed to dock in Iranian ports and ships allowed to sail out into open waters.

The statement also said that after the blockade began on April 13, U.S. forces redirected 67 commercial vessels and disabled four more to ensure compliance with the restrictions.

Taken together. Thursday’s developments show how one diplomatic message—keeping the Strait of Hormuz open and restricting Iran’s ability to gain nuclear weapons—sits alongside sharply contested realities on the water and on the ground.. For U.S.. policymakers. the challenge is balancing maritime pressure. humanitarian carve-outs. and regional ceasefire diplomacy while trying to pull China into a role that could reduce disruption to global energy flows.

Trump Xi Hormuz Strait of Hormuz Iran nuclear U.S. China talks maritime blockade Israel Lebanon ceasefire Hezbollah drone strikes