President Donald Trump signaled that his planned summit with Chinese leader Xi Jinping in Beijing could be postponed as Washington presses China to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz. According to the Financial Times, Trump said he wants clarity from Beijing before traveling for the meeting scheduled from March 31 to April 2.
Speaking in an interview reported by the Financial Times, Trump said the United States expects China to play a role in restoring shipping through the critical oil corridor. Trump noted that China depends heavily on energy shipments that move through the strait.
Donald Trump said he could delay his planned summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping if Beijing doesn’t help unblock the Strait of Hormuz, the Financial Times reported, citing an interview with the US president https://t.co/zQVE03qWk4
— Bloomberg (@business) March 16, 2026
The report said the comments came as U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent met Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng in Paris to discuss preparations for the summit.
Analysts told the Financial Times that China may be less vulnerable to disruptions than suggested. Beijing has built large strategic oil reserves and diversified energy imports. Experts estimate the country holds roughly 1.2 billion barrels in stockpiles, enough to meet demand for several months.
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