Trump Meets Xi as Strait of Hormuz Remains Closed to Most Shipping

President Trump flew to Beijing to seek China's help to end the Iran war. Both sides agreed that the Strait of Hormuz must remain open and free of tolls. Xi publicly opposed any effort to charge ships for passage through the Strait of Hormuz.

President Trump told Fox News that Xi would like to see a deal made with Iran and has offered to help. Treasury Secretary Bessent said China will work behind the scenes to pressure Tehran. Treasury Secretary Bessent said reopening the Strait is very much in China's interest.

The day President Trump landed in Beijing a Chinese supertanker sailed through the Strait of Hormuz without paying Iran's toll. Iran has been letting some Chinese ships through under special arrangements. Around 30 vessels transited the Strait under the special arrangements since Wednesday evening.

The war started on February 28. Several layers of Iranian leadership have been killed since the war started on February 28. Treasury Secretary Bessent said it is genuinely difficult to communicate with anyone who can speak for Tehran or deliver on any agreement.

“The real problem here is we didn't change the regime, but the regime changed.”

“— Treasury Secretary Bessent @MarioNawfal reported that Xi also rejected the tolls publicly while Iran continues collecting them from everyone else. Beijing publicly opposes tolls but its ships are getting through anyway. Bessent himself acknowledged the deeper problem after the summit meetings concluded. The arrangement leaves Chinese vessels moving while other ships are not. Iran let a few Chinese ships through as a gesture timed to the summit. The Strait is still effectively closed for the rest of the world.”