US Presses China to Use Iran Ties to Reopen Strait of Hormuz Ahead of Trump–Xi Summit
Senior officials in the administration of Donald Trump are urging China to use its influence over Iran to restore access to the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz, as global shipping disruptions intensify.
The appeal comes days before a high-stakes meeting between Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing, where the ongoing conflict and its economic fallout are expected to dominate discussions.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Washington wants Beijing to press Tehran to ease its blockade of the waterway, which has severely disrupted international energy flows. Speaking at the White House, Rubio pointed to talks between Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi as an opportunity to deliver that message.
Rubio argued that China has more at stake than the United States, given its heavy reliance on Middle Eastern oil and gas shipments that pass through the strait. “It is in China’s interest that Iran stop closing the strait,” he said, warning that Tehran risks growing international isolation.
Behind the scenes, US officials are also lobbying Beijing at the United Nations Security Council, seeking support—or at least neutrality—for a resolution condemning Iran’s actions and calling for the waterway to reopen. China, along with Russia, previously vetoed a similar measure, citing concerns it failed to address US and Israeli military actions that triggered the conflict.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent confirmed that Iran will be a central topic in the Trump–Xi talks, alongside trade tensions, bilateral relations and US arms sales to Taiwan.
The closure of the strait has hit Asian economies particularly hard, disrupting energy supplies and trade routes. US officials believe China has already played a role in brokering a fragile ceasefire last month, using its position as Iran’s largest oil customer to bring Tehran back to negotiations.
However, Washington insists Beijing can do more. “The threat of attacks from Iran has closed the strait—we are reopening it,” Bessent said, calling on China to support international efforts to restore maritime traffic through one of the world’s most critical energy corridors.
