US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping agreed that the Strait of Hormuz must remain open to global energy shipments during high-level talks in Beijing, according to statements released by both Washington and Beijing following the summit.
The White House described the meeting as productive and said the two leaders discussed expanding economic cooperation, easing trade tensions and addressing regional security concerns, with a major focus on the ongoing Iran crisis and maritime security in the Gulf.
“President Trump had a good meeting with President Xi of China,” the White House said in a statement released Thursday, adding that both sides explored ways to increase market access for American companies operating in China and boost Chinese investment in US industries.
Senior executives from several major American corporations reportedly joined parts of the discussions.
The White House also said Trump raised concerns about fentanyl precursor exports and urged China to increase purchases of US agricultural products.
A key outcome of the summit was a shared position on maintaining freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, a vital global energy corridor linking the Gulf to international markets.
“The two sides agreed that the Strait of Hormuz must remain open to support the free flow of energy,” the White House said.
According to Washington, Xi voiced opposition to the “militarization” of the waterway and rejected attempts to impose transit tolls on commercial shipping. The Chinese leader also reportedly expressed interest in increasing imports of American oil to reduce China’s long-term dependence on Hormuz shipping routes.
The White House further said both leaders agreed that “Iran can never have a nuclear weapon,” as tensions continue to simmer following months of conflict involving Iran, Israel and the United States.
The summit comes amid continued instability in the Gulf region after US and Israeli strikes on Iran earlier this year triggered retaliatory attacks and disruptions to maritime traffic near the Strait of Hormuz.
Since April, the United States has also imposed naval restrictions targeting Iranian maritime activity in the strategic waterway.
While the White House statement avoided mentioning Taiwan, Beijing’s official readout highlighted the issue prominently.
According to Chinese state media, Xi warned Trump that mishandling the Taiwan issue could lead to “clashes and even conflicts” between the two powers.
“The Taiwan question is the most important issue in China-US relations,” Xi reportedly told Trump, warning that failure to manage the issue properly could place the broader bilateral relationship “in great jeopardy.”
Despite tensions over Taiwan and regional security, Xi described US-China economic relations as “mutually beneficial and win-win in nature” and said both sides supported building a more stable long-term relationship.
Trade between the world’s two largest economies totaled roughly $414 billion last year.