Donald Trump has made a bold prediction about his upcoming meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping, following a recent exchange of letters between the two leaders. The U.S. president shared unexpected details about what he expects to receive when he lands in Beijing in the coming weeks.
Donald Trump gives update on China sending weapons to Iran
Donald Trump revealed he sent a letter to Chinese President Xi Jinping requesting that Beijing refrain from supplying weapons to Iran, according to Reuters. Xi responded by writing back that China was not arming Tehran. The U.S. president disclosed the correspondence during a Fox Business Network interview aired on Wednesday.
Trump taped the interview on Tuesday, but did not specify when the letters were exchanged. Last week, he threatened countries with an immediate 50% tariff if they supplied Iran with weapons.
“I wrote him a letter asking him not to do that, and he wrote me a letter saying that, essentially, he’s not doing that,” Trump told FBN’s “Mornings with Maria” program. He added that global oil market shifts would not affect his planned meeting with Xi next month. “He’s somebody that needs oil. We don’t,” Trump said.
In a subsequent Truth Social post, Trump wrote that he was “permanently opening” the Strait of Hormuz and claimed China was very happy about it. “I am doing it for them, also – And the World,” Trump wrote, adding, “President Xi will give me a big, fat, hug when I get there in a few weeks.”
Shipping through the Strait of Hormuz remains constrained despite Trump’s announcement. The White House did not immediately respond to requests for clarification. Forty-five days after Iran’s Revolutionary Guards declared the strait closed, transit remains uncertain even with a two-week ceasefire in place. The closure effectively shut in about 20% of global oil and liquefied natural gas shipments.
Trump said talks with Tehran on ending the war could resume this week, after negotiations ended over the weekend without agreement. The U.S. military confirmed Wednesday its blockade of Iranian ports has completely halted sea trade into and out of the country.
Originally reported by Vritti Johar on Mandatory.com.
