Chinese President Xi Jinping and US President Donald Trump agreed that the Strait of Hormuz must remain open, the White House said on Thursday following the US-China summit in Beijing, News.Az reports, citing Anadolu.

The White House released a statement summarizing the Trump-Xi talks, focusing heavily on the Iran conflict and the Strait of Hormuz while making no mention of Taiwan.

“President Trump had a good meeting with President Xi of China,” a White House official said.

“The two sides discussed ways to enhance economic cooperation between our two countries, including expanding market access for American businesses into China and increasing Chinese investment in our industries. Leaders from many of the United States’ largest companies joined a portion of the meeting,” the official added.

“The two sides agreed that the Strait of Hormuz must remain open to support the free flow of energy. President Xi also made clear China’s opposition to the militarization of the strait and any effort to charge a toll for its use, and he expressed interest in purchasing more American oil to reduce China’s dependence on the strait in the future,” the official said.

The White House official also noted that “both countries agreed that Iran can never have a nuclear weapon.”

In addition, the official said Trump and Xi “highlighted the need to build on progress in ending the flow of fentanyl precursors into the United States, as well as increasing Chinese purchases of American agricultural products.”

Meanwhile, China’s state-run Xinhua News Agency reported that Xi warned Trump the “two countries will have clashes and even conflicts” if the Taiwan issue is “not handled properly.”

Xi also stressed that economic relations between China and the United States are “mutually beneficial and win-win in nature,” according to Xinhua.

The two leaders agreed to establish a bilateral relationship of constructive strategic stability aimed at guiding ties over the next three years and beyond. Xi said such a framework would be welcomed by “the people of both countries, as well as the international community,” Xinhua reported.

News.Az 

By Nijat Babayev