As Donald Trump and Xi Jinping held talks in China, they concurred on the critical importance of keeping the Strait of Hormuz open. However, Iran, a nation closely aligned with Beijing, is stirring up new disturbances in this essential maritime corridor.
Reports from a British maritime agency indicate that on Thursday, a commercial vessel navigating the Strait of Hormuz, near the United Arab Emirates, was seized and is now being directed towards Iranian territory.
The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center stated that the ship was commandeered by “unauthorized personnel” while it was anchored 38 nautical miles northeast of the UAE. The identities of the ship and its hijackers remain undisclosed.
Meanwhile, Iranian state media has claimed that over 30 ships were permitted safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz, asserting that this was done with “approval from Tehran.”
In their significant diplomatic meeting, Trump and Xi reportedly reached a consensus on the necessity of reopening the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial channel that facilitates the transport of one-fifth of the world’s oil.
A White House official stated, “The two sides agreed that the Strait of Hormuz must remain open to ensure the free flow of energy.”
Xi reportedly made clear China opposes any militarization of the Strait or attempts to impose tolls on its use, and signaled interest in buying more American oil to cut China’s reliance on the waterway over time.
‘Both countries agreed that Iran can never have a nuclear weapon,’ the White House official added.
A commercial ship passing through the Strait of Hormuz off the United Arab Emirates was hijacked on Thursday and is now being steered toward Iranian waters
Fire and smoke rise into the sky after an Israeli attack on the Shahran oil depot on June 15, 2025 in Tehran, Iran
Xi reportedly made clear China opposes any militarization of the Strait or attempts to impose tolls on its use
Peace negotiations between the US and Iran have stalled as Tehran demands full control of the Strait of Hormuz while Washington pressures the regime to surrender its enriched uranium stockpile.
China is the single largest buyer of crude oil shipped through the strait, with roughly half of its imported oil passing through the narrow chokepoint.
Beijing relies heavily on Gulf producers like Saudi Arabia, Iraq and Iran to fuel the their economy, leaving it acutely exposed to any disruption in the waterway.
XI has previously condemned Trump’s naval blockade of Iranian ports during the ceasefire.
It is unclear if the two leaders will be able to come to a formal agreement regarding Iran and the reopening of the waterway before the summit ends.
Since the war began a few months ago, global oil prices have skyrocketed above $100 a barrel, while US gas prices now hover around $4.50 a gallon on average.
A secret report given to Trump’s top general warning that China is selling weapons to America’s Middle East allies as US forces burn through their stockpiles.
The analysis, drawn up this week by the Joint Staff’s intelligence directorate for General Dan Caine has sparked alarm inside the Pentagon, and lands as Trump prepares to meet Xi Jinping in Beijing on Thursday.
XI has previously condemned Trump’s naval blockade of Iranian ports during the ceasefire
It is unclear if the two leaders will be able to come to a formal agreement regarding Iran and the reopening of the waterway before the summit ends
Iran has managed to effectively close off the Strait of Hormuz in recent months through a combination of small attack boats, drones, and sea mines laid in the narrow waterway
With America depleting its arsenal to defend Gulf allies from the Iranian barrage, China stepped in to fill the shortfall, selling weapons to the very US allies Washington was scrambling to protect.
The intelligence analysis, reported by the Washington Post, did not name the Gulf states which China supplied, but Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates have for years been Beijing’s biggest regional customers.
China has also supplied energy to countries suffering from Iran’s closure of the Strait of Hormuz, among them Australia, Thailand and the Philippines, all US treaty allies.
Trump’s summit with Xi was postponed in March because of the Iran war, and he arrives in Beijing with his standing battered at home and abroad over the conflict which has wrought chaos on the global economy.
The President remains adamant that Iran cannot get its hands on a nuclear bomb, but is increasingly eager to end the war which has sent oil prices skyrocketing ahead of crucial midterm elections in November.
China has seized on the 39-day conflict to expand its military, economic and diplomatic influence around the world, the intelligence report warns.
