Lead

US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping opened a high-stakes summit in Beijing on Thursday, with trade, the ongoing US-Israeli war on Iran and Taiwan topping the agenda. The two leaders met at the Great Hall of the People, where Trump was greeted with a ceremonial welcome, including a military band, an honour guard and schoolchildren waving US and Chinese flags.

According to a White House official, Trump and Xi agreed that the Strait of Hormuz "must remain open to support the free flow of energy." The official described the meeting as "good," and said Xi made clear China's opposition to the militarisation of the strait and any effort to charge a toll for its use. Xi also expressed interest in purchasing more American oil to reduce China's dependence on the strait, and both countries agreed that Iran can never have a nuclear weapon, the official added.

Coverage comparison

The summit was widely reported across international media, with outlets providing details from the ground in Beijing. Al Jazeera reported that Trump told Xi the two countries would have "a fantastic future together," while Xi said they "should be partners and not rivals." The same outlet also noted that the summit came amid stalled peace negotiations between Washington and Tehran over ending the war and reopening the strait.

Yonhap News Agency reported that the leaders discussed "an array of consequential issues," including trade, the ongoing US-Israeli war on Iran and Taiwan. The summit marked Trump's first trip to China since November 2017, and his arrival was marked by a ceremony at the airport, where he was greeted by China's Vice President Han Zheng.

The Economist noted that Xi said China and America had agreed to a "new positioning" on bilateral ties and would increase cooperation in trade. The publication also mentioned that tough topics included the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East, and America's support for Taiwan.

France 24 reported that Trump was accompanied by a large delegation of US executives and had promised to ask Xi to "open up" the country to US business. Ahead of the summit, Trump said trade would be at the top of the agenda, according to Yonhap.

Key claims

  • US and China agree on Hormuz and Iran nuclear weapon: A White House official said the two sides agreed that the Strait of Hormuz must remain open and that Iran can never have a nuclear weapon, as reported by Yonhap and Al Jazeera.
  • Xi's interest in American oil: The White House official said Xi expressed interest in purchasing more American oil to reduce China's dependence on the strait, a claim carried by Yonhap.
  • Iran has blocked the strait: Since the start of the US-Israeli war on Iran in late February, Tehran has largely closed the strait, causing disruptions to global energy supplies, as reported by Al Jazeera.
  • US blockade on Iranian ports: The US imposed a blockade on Iranian ports in response, and as of Thursday, US forces had redirected 70 vessels and disabled four others, according to Al Jazeera.
  • Chinese ships allowed passage: Iran's Revolutionary Guard said a number of Chinese ships were allowed passage through the strait after an agreement on Iran's strait management protocols, as reported by Al Jazeera and Yonhap.
  • Incidents at sea: An Indian cargo vessel was attacked and sank off Oman, and a ship anchored off the UAE was seized and taken toward Iran, according to ABC Australia's live blog.
  • FAO warning: The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations warned that the blockage could trigger a severe global food price crisis within six to 12 months, as reported by Al Jazeera.