Chinese authorities confirm they are coordinating with the United States on Donald Trump's planned visit to China later this month, while Trump threatens to postpone meeting Xi Jinping if China does not step in to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz after global oil prices surged.
Today (16 Mar), Chinese officials disclosed progress in coordinating with the U.S. government concerning U.S. President Donald Trump's scheduled trip to China expected to occur within this month. This comes amid reports that the U.S. leader might decide to delay this crucial summit if the Chinese government does not assist in reopening the Strait of Hormuz.
Donald Trump has indicated that the U.S. might need to postpone his meeting with China's top leader Xi Jinping if China remains indifferent to the escalating tensions in the Middle East, especially Iran's closure of the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz shipping route used for global oil transport, in retaliation against the ongoing conflicts involving the U.S. and Israel.
Lin Jian, spokesperson for China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, told the press that China and the U.S. are maintaining continuous communication regarding President Trump's visit to China. He emphasized that diplomacy at the highest level between these two global powers is an indispensable mechanism for strategic direction.
However, Lin Jian did not address questions about U.S. pressure on NATO allies and China to expedite reopening the Strait of Hormuz, only acknowledging that the ongoing tensions in the area are causing significant disruption to global trade routes, affecting both general cargo and energy shipments.
This Middle East crisis has severely impacted the global economy, causing crude oil prices to surge by 40-50 percent since the conflict began, due to the closure of key maritime routes used for energy transport and Iran’s attacks on energy facilities and shipping industries in neighboring Persian Gulf countries.
China is a major oil importer and one of Asia's economic powers heavily reliant on oil passing through the Strait of Hormuz to sustain its economy. Data from analytics firm Kpler shows that last year China imported as much as 57 percent of its crude oil from the Middle East via sea routes.
Regarding the scheduled visit, U.S. sources expect Trump to arrive in China on 31 March and stay until 2 April. However, the Chinese government has yet to confirm exact dates, following the usual practice of officially releasing schedules shortly before the actual events.
.source:CNA
Read more news aboutMiddle East War