- Donald Trump and Xi Jinping spoke together about the war in the Middle East.
- The Chinese president called for a “comprehensive and lasting” ceasefire in the region.
- He would also be willing to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
The question of war in the Middle East was on the agenda of discussions between Xi Jinping and Donald Trump, on an official visit to China. This Friday, May 15, on the sidelines of this meeting, Beijing called for the establishment of a ceasefire between the United States and Iran, as well as the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz “dès que possible”.Â
“This war, which should never have taken place, has no reason to continue”
indicated the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs in a press release. “Sea lanes must be reopened as soon as possible as requested by the international community […] A comprehensive and lasting ceasefire must be established as soon as possible,”
is it hammered. A necessary agreement for Beijing, which is the main importer of Iranian oil.
For his part, the American president declared on American television that his Chinese counterpart had assured him that Beijing would not send military equipment to Iran and was ready to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz.Â
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Since the start of the war with the United States and Israel on February 28, Iran has largely blocked navigation in the strait, through which a fifth of the world’s exports of oil and liquefied natural gas usually pass. The United States, for its part, is imposing its own naval blockade on Iranian ports, despite a fragile ceasefire in force since April 8. Tehran announced Thursday, in the middle of a Sino-American summit, that its forces had authorized the passage of several Chinese ships.
