Trump to discuss Iran with Xi Jinping during China visit, officials say
Senior Trump administration officials said the president will raise ongoing Iran negotiations directly with Xi Jinping during this week's state visit to China, Al Jazeera reports. Beijing's posture on the Strait of Hormuz and indirect support for Tehran are at the top of the agenda. The talks are expected to move global energy markets.
Two senior Trump administration officials told Al Jazeera that the Iran file will be near the top of the agenda when President Donald Trump meets Xi Jinping in Beijing this week. The starting point will be Beijing's posture on shipping movements through the Strait of Hormuz.
Washington intends to ask for concrete steps on China's oil-purchase channel into Tehran and on its diplomatic cover for Iran at the United Nations. Beijing's response is seen as a decisive variable for whether an emerging US-Iran ceasefire package can be implemented in practice.
The meeting will also cover Taiwan, trade tariffs and technology export controls. Oil prices could move sharply in the short term depending on the tone of the talks and on whether a joint statement is released afterwards. Markets will be watching closely for any signal that the two leaders converge on a common message about the Iran conflict.
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