US President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping agreed on Thursday that the Strait of Hormuz must remain open and that Iran should not have a nuclear weapon.
Trump is on a state visit to China, from May 13-15, for high-stakes series of meetings with Xi, covering trade, Iran war, Taiwan, technology and nuclear weapons.
Trump-Xi Summit
Trump attended a Chinese state banquet in his honor at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on Thursday, after which he and Xi held closed-door talks.
The two leaders discussed a wide range of regional and international issues, exchanging views on the Middle East situation, the Ukraine crisis, and the Korean Peninsula, reported Xinhua news agency.
In his speech, Xi called for overcoming the “Thucydides Trap” and to open a new chapter in relations between Beijing and Washington.
The “Thucydides Trap” is a term that refers to the high risk of war when a rising power threatens to displace an established one.
“I have agreed with President Trump on a new vision of building a constructive China-US relationship of strategic stability,” the Chinese leader said.
He praised the “generally balanced and positive outcomes” of trade talks between the two countries, calling for more engagements in the political, diplomatic and military-to-military fields.
Productive Discussions
Trump, for his part, thanked Xi for a “magnificent welcome like none other” at the state banquet, saying that he had “positive and productive conversations and meetings” in Beijing that were “all good for the United States and for China.”
Moreover, Trump invited the Chinese leader and his wife to the White House on September 24, although it is not clear yet if Xi has accepted the invitation.
The Star-Spangled Banner plays as President Donald J. Trump is greeted by President Xi at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China. 🇺🇸🇨🇳 pic.twitter.com/ANPzR3WQmi
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) May 14, 2026
The two sides discussed ways to bolster economic cooperation, including expanding US access to the Chinese market, increasing Beijing’s investment in US industries and its purchases of American agricultural products, the White House said in its readout of the meeting.
Taiwan Question
The Chinese President noted that the Taiwan question is the most important issue in relations with the US and must be handled with extra caution, according to Xinhua.
“If it is handled properly, the bilateral relationship will enjoy overall stability. Otherwise, the two countries will have clashes and even conflicts, putting the entire relationship in great jeopardy,” Xi warned, stressing that “Taiwan independence” and cross-Strait peace are as “irreconcilable as fire and water.”
The US authorized $11 billion arms sales to Taiwan in December but has not moved on with the delivery amid strong opposition from China.
However, the White House readout of the meeting made no mention of Taiwan.
Rare Consensus on Iran
Trump and Xi agreed that Iran must not maintain control over the Strait of Hormuz or acquire a nuclear weapon, according to the White House readout of talks between the two leaders.
China is the world’s largest importer of oil and fossil gas and a major buyer of Iranian oil, making it one of the countries most impacted by disruption of shipping caused by the war.
“The two sides agreed that the Strait of Hormuz must remain open to support the free flow of energy,” the readout said.
“President Xi also made clear China’s opposition to the militarization of the Strait and any effort to charge a toll for its use, and he expressed interest in purchasing more American oil to reduce China’s dependence on the Strait in the future. Both countries agreed that Iran can never have a nuclear weapon,” it added.
On Thursday, Iran allowed some Chinese vessels to transit the Strait of Hormuz following discussions with China’s Foreign Minister and Ambassador, reported Iran’s semi-official state news agency Fars.
Since the outbreak of the war with the US and Israel in late February, Iran has blocked passage through the critical waterway without its permission.
The Iranian state TV, IRIB, said on Thursday that over 30 ships had passed through the Strait since Wednesday night “in coordination with our country’s authorities and maritime agencies.”
