China And U.S. Find Rare Common Ground Over Hormuz Crisis

The United States and China have reached a rare point of agreement amid the spiralling Middle East crisis, with both powers opposing the “militarisation” of the Strait of Hormuz as fears grow over a global energy shock.

Speaking after President Donald Trump met Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing on Thursday, Secretary of State Marco Rubio revealed that both sides had discussed the worsening Iran conflict and the blockade choking one of the world’s most critical shipping lanes.

“The Chinese side said they are not in favor of militarizing the Straits of Hormuz, and they’re not in favor of a tolling system, and that’s our position,” Rubio told NBC News following more than two hours of closed-door talks between the two delegations.

The comments mark one of the clearest signs yet that Washington and Beijing are attempting to prevent the Iran war from detonating into a full-scale global economic disaster.

Hormuz Crisis Threatens Global Economy

The Strait of Hormuz handles roughly a fifth of the world’s oil and gas supplies, and Iran’s effective closure of the waterway has already sent shockwaves through global markets.

Tankers remain stranded, insurance costs have exploded and fuel prices have surged worldwide, raising fears of inflation spikes and recession risks across Europe, Asia and the United States.

China — the biggest buyer of Iranian oil — has emerged as a critical player in any diplomatic effort to calm the crisis.

Rubio insisted Washington was not formally asking Beijing to intervene on America’s behalf.

“We’re not asking for China’s help. We don’t need their help,” Rubio said, despite acknowledging that soaring energy prices are hammering economies around the world.

Still, behind the scenes, officials believe Beijing’s leverage over Tehran could prove decisive in preventing the conflict from spiralling further.

Trump And Xi Clash Over Taiwan

Despite the limited agreement on Hormuz, tensions between Washington and Beijing remain severe.

During the summit, Xi reportedly warned Trump that Taiwan remains the most dangerous flashpoint in US-China relations.

According to China’s foreign ministry, Xi warned that mishandling the Taiwan issue could lead to “clashes and even conflicts” between the two superpowers.

The unusually blunt warning cast a shadow over Trump’s attempts to present the summit as a diplomatic success.

Trump publicly praised Xi during their meeting, calling him “a great leader” and saying it was “an honor” to be his friend.

But beneath the warm words, deep divisions remain over trade, military competition, artificial intelligence and America’s support for Taiwan.

Rubio stressed that long-standing US policy toward Taiwan had “not changed,” despite mounting speculation that Trump could soften Washington’s position in pursuit of broader deals with Beijing.

Jimmy Lai Case Raised In Talks

Trump also reportedly raised the case of jailed Hong Kong media tycoon Jimmy Lai during the summit.

Lai, a fierce critic of the Chinese Communist Party, was sentenced earlier this year after being convicted under Hong Kong’s controversial national security laws.

Rubio confirmed that Trump personally pressed Xi over Lai’s imprisonment.

“The president always raises that case and a couple others, and obviously we’ll hope to get a positive response from that,” Rubio said.

The case has become an international symbol of Beijing’s crackdown on dissent in Hong Kong and remains a major point of tension between China and the West.

Symbolism Over Substance?

While both sides attempted to project stability during the heavily choreographed summit, analysts say the meeting produced little in the way of concrete breakthroughs.

The White House said Trump and Xi discussed possible trade cooperation, energy security and efforts to curb fentanyl trafficking, while Xi invited Trump to deepen economic ties.

But with the Iran war escalating, Taiwan tensions worsening and both countries locked in an increasingly bitter global rivalry, the summit appeared focused more on preventing relations from collapsing outright than achieving any major diplomatic reset.

SOURCE

10 minutes ago, Social Media said:

China And U.S. Find Rare Common Ground Over Hormuz Crisis

The United States and China have reached a rare point of agreement amid the spiralling Middle East crisis, with both powers opposing the “militarisation” of the Strait of Hormuz as fears grow over a global energy shock.

Speaking after President Donald Trump met Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing on Thursday, Secretary of State Marco Rubio revealed that both sides had discussed the worsening Iran conflict and the blockade choking one of the world’s most critical shipping lanes.

“The Chinese side said they are not in favor of militarizing the Straits of Hormuz, and they’re not in favor of a tolling system, and that’s our position,” Rubio told NBC News following more than two hours of closed-door talks between the two delegations.

The comments mark one of the clearest signs yet that Washington and Beijing are attempting to prevent the Iran war from detonating into a full-scale global economic disaster.

Hormuz Crisis Threatens Global Economy

The Strait of Hormuz handles roughly a fifth of the world’s oil and gas supplies, and Iran’s effective closure of the waterway has already sent shockwaves through global markets.

Tankers remain stranded, insurance costs have exploded and fuel prices have surged worldwide, raising fears of inflation spikes and recession risks across Europe, Asia and the United States.

China — the biggest buyer of Iranian oil — has emerged as a critical player in any diplomatic effort to calm the crisis.

Rubio insisted Washington was not formally asking Beijing to intervene on America’s behalf.

“We’re not asking for China’s help. We don’t need their help,” Rubio said, despite acknowledging that soaring energy prices are hammering economies around the world.

Still, behind the scenes, officials believe Beijing’s leverage over Tehran could prove decisive in preventing the conflict from spiralling further.

Trump And Xi Clash Over Taiwan

Despite the limited agreement on Hormuz, tensions between Washington and Beijing remain severe.

During the summit, Xi reportedly warned Trump that Taiwan remains the most dangerous flashpoint in US-China relations.

According to China’s foreign ministry, Xi warned that mishandling the Taiwan issue could lead to “clashes and even conflicts” between the two superpowers.

The unusually blunt warning cast a shadow over Trump’s attempts to present the summit as a diplomatic success.

Trump publicly praised Xi during their meeting, calling him “a great leader” and saying it was “an honor” to be his friend.

But beneath the warm words, deep divisions remain over trade, military competition, artificial intelligence and America’s support for Taiwan.

Rubio stressed that long-standing US policy toward Taiwan had “not changed,” despite mounting speculation that Trump could soften Washington’s position in pursuit of broader deals with Beijing.

Jimmy Lai Case Raised In Talks

Trump also reportedly raised the case of jailed Hong Kong media tycoon Jimmy Lai during the summit.

Lai, a fierce critic of the Chinese Communist Party, was sentenced earlier this year after being convicted under Hong Kong’s controversial national security laws.

Rubio confirmed that Trump personally pressed Xi over Lai’s imprisonment.

“The president always raises that case and a couple others, and obviously we’ll hope to get a positive response from that,” Rubio said.

The case has become an international symbol of Beijing’s crackdown on dissent in Hong Kong and remains a major point of tension between China and the West.

Symbolism Over Substance?

While both sides attempted to project stability during the heavily choreographed summit, analysts say the meeting produced little in the way of concrete breakthroughs.

The White House said Trump and Xi discussed possible trade cooperation, energy security and efforts to curb fentanyl trafficking, while Xi invited Trump to deepen economic ties.

But with the Iran war escalating, Taiwan tensions worsening and both countries locked in an increasingly bitter global rivalry, the summit appeared focused more on preventing relations from collapsing outright than achieving any major diplomatic reset.

SOURCE

Rubio's comment about not needing China's help with opening up the Strait of Hormuz is a classic example of the Trump administrations stupidity. He doesn't realize that being humble goes a long way in Chinese diplomacy.