Trump says Xi has been ‘respectful’ on Iran, downplaying strains
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US PRESIDENT Donald Trump said he would discuss the Iran war with Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping during their summit next week and sought to downplay tensions over the conflict.
“That’ll be one subject, but he’s been very nice about this,” Trump told reporters at the White House on Tuesday in response to a question about what he hoped to achieve with Xi on Iran when they meet.
“He’s been very respectful. We haven’t been challenged by China,” the president added, even as he acknowledged that Beijing is a significant importer of Iranian oil — supplies of which have been disrupted by the war.
“They don’t challenge us. He wouldn’t do that. I don’t think he’d do that because of me, but I think he’s been very respectful.”
The leaders are slated to meet in Beijing on May 14-15, a high-stakes summit that comes as the Iran war brings fresh tumult to the relationship between the world’s two largest economies. The war has already delayed the meeting once, sparking anxiety in financial markets.
The conflict has largely shuttered the flow of energy through the Strait of Hormuz, leaving countries such as China that import crude oil working to prevent domestic shortages.
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The US also has sanctioned refiners in China that process Iranian oil as Washington looks to ramp up pressure on Teheran to reach an agreement to end the war.
Trump has previously suggested that China may be providing help to Teheran, claiming the US had intercepted a “gift” bound for Iran.
Even though US and Chinese officials have been preparing for the summit for months, including discussions over creating a new bilateral mechanism to help manage economic ties, the rippling effects of the Middle East conflict have spurred questions about the status of the upcoming summit.
China still hasn’t confirmed dates of the summit, as is customary in Beijing where details of Xi’s schedule are closely held until days before an event. BLOOMBERG
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