Washington DC: During his three-day state visit to China, US President Donald Trump said he and Chinese President Xi Jinping agreed that Iran must not be allowed to acquire nuclear weapons and stressed that the Strait of Hormuz should remain open amid escalating tensions in West Asia.
Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One after departing China, Trump claimed the United States effectively controls the strategically crucial waterway and said Iran has suffered massive economic losses due to a US naval blockade in the region over the past two-and-a-half weeks.
“I have a lot of respect for him. On Iran, he feels strongly that they can’t have a nuclear weapon — said that very strongly,” Trump said, referring to Xi. “He wants them to open up the strait. As he said, if they close it, you close them. And it’s true, we control the strait.”
Trump further claimed Iran had lost nearly $500 million per day in business activity since the blockade began.
The US President said discussions with Xi largely focused on Iran, Taiwan and broader regional stability, describing the talks as productive and cordial.
“We talked about Taiwan and we talked about Iran a lot, and I think we have a very good understanding on both,” Trump said. “President Xi is an incredible guy. I have a lot of respect for him.”
On Taiwan, Trump said Xi strongly opposed any move toward Taiwanese independence, warning that such a development could trigger a major confrontation.
“He does not want to see a fight for independence because that would be a very strong confrontation,” Trump said, adding that he listened to Xi’s concerns but did not directly comment on the issue during the meeting.
Trump also revealed that Xi raised concerns about long-standing US arms sales to Taiwan, including references to assurances made during former US President Ronald Reagan’s administration in 1982.
“I think 1982 is a long way away,” Trump told reporters. “We discussed arms sales too. We discussed Taiwan in great detail, actually. The last thing we need right now is a war that’s 9,500 miles away.”
The remarks come amid heightened geopolitical tensions involving Iran, Taiwan and growing strategic competition between Washington and Beijing.
