Trump said that Chinese leader Xi Jinping told him in meetings that his country “would like to be of help” in negotiating an end to the Iran war and reopening the Strait of Hormuz to oil shipments.

US President Donald Trump on Thursday said Chinese President Xi Jinping had offered China’s assistance in reopening the Strait of Hormuz and assured him that Beijing would not provide military equipment to Iran during the ongoing conflict involving the US and Israel.

Speaking to Fox News host Sean Hannity after his meeting with Xi in Beijing, Trump said the Chinese leader had strongly conveyed that China would not supply arms to Tehran.

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“He said he’s not going to give military equipment… he said that strongly,” Trump said.

At the same time, Trump said that Xi had indicated China wanted to continue purchasing petroleum from Iran, given Beijing’s dependence on energy imports from the region.

“But at the same time, he said, you know, they buy a lot of their oil there and they’d like to keep doing that,” Trump said.

According to the US president, Xi also expressed willingness to assist efforts aimed at ending the Iran conflict and restoring normal shipping operations through the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most critical energy corridors.

“But he said, ‘I would love to be a help, if I can be of any help whatsoever,’” Trump said in an interview with Fox News’ Sean Hannity. “He’d like to see the Hormuz strait open. He said, ‘If I can be of any help whatsoever I would like to help.’”

But the statement sidestepped questions about China providing Iran with intelligence, electronic components or revenues from the purchase of oil.

Earlier today, Trump said Thursday that talks earlier with Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping had been “extremely positive” while addressing a banquet on the first full day of a closely watched summit in Beijing.

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“We had extremely positive and productive conversations and meetings today with the Chinese delegation earlier,” said Trump in the lavish Great Hall of the People, describing the evening as “another cherished opportunity to discuss among friends”.

While, Chinese leader Xi Jinping said that China’s advancement could go “hand-in-hand” with making America great again, as he addressed a banquet following talks with US President Donald Trump.

“Achieving the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation and making America great again can totally go hand in hand, help each other succeed, and advance the wellbeing of the whole world,” Xi said, a reference to Trump’s MAGA movement.

With inputs from agencies

First Published:
May 14, 2026, 22:45 IST

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