Trump Signals 'Delaying' Beijing Summit With Xi If China Fails To Help Reopen Strait Of Hormuz

Last Updated:March 16, 2026, 08:08 IST

Trump, speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One on Monday, said he has pressed about seven countries to deploy warships to help keep the Strait of Hormuz open.

US President Donald Trump signalled that his planned visit to China later this month could be postponed if Beijing does not help efforts to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

In an interview with the Financial Times, Trump said he expected China to play a role in easing disruptions in the vital oil shipping lane before he travels to Beijing for a summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping, tentatively scheduled for March 31 to April 2.

With about two weeks remaining, Trump said Washington wanted clarity, adding bluntly: “We may delay."

The comments came as US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent met Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng in Paris for preliminary talks related to the proposed summit. Beijing has yet to formally confirm the dates, typically announcing such high-level visits closer to their start.

Trump, speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One on Monday, said he has pressed about seven countries to deploy warships to help keep the Strait of Hormuz open, though he acknowledged that no firm commitments have yet been secured as oil prices surge amid the Iran war.

He declined to name the countries involved but argued that nations heavily dependent on Middle Eastern crude have a responsibility to protect the waterway, through which roughly one-fifth of the world’s traded oil normally flows.

Trump singled out China as having a strong incentive, claiming Beijing sources about 90% of its oil through the strait, while the United States relies on it far less.

Iran, meanwhile, has pushed back against US pressure. Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told CBS News that Tehran has been approached by several countries seeking safe passage for their vessels and said Iran’s military has allowed ships from “different countries" to transit the strait.

He maintained that the waterway remains open, except to the United States and its allies, and insisted that decisions on passage rest solely with Iran’s armed forces.

Araghchi also ruled out talks with Washington to end the conflict, accusing the US and Israel of launching coordinated attacks while diplomatic contacts were underway.

News world Trump Signals 'Delaying' Beijing Summit With Xi If China Fails To Help Reopen Strait Of Hormuz

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