The United States and China have agreed that the Strait of Hormuz must remain open to ensure the uninterrupted flow of global energy supplies, according to the White House.
U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping reached the understanding during a “good” meeting held on Thursday, where both leaders discussed key security and economic issues affecting bilateral relations.
In a statement released by the White House, both sides agreed that the strategic waterway “must remain open to support the free flow of energy.”
The strait is a critical maritime route through which a significant portion of the world’s oil and natural gas is transported.
The waterway has faced severe disruptions in recent months amid ongoing tensions in the region.
Iran has reportedly restricted shipping through the passage following the outbreak of conflict involving the United States and Israel earlier in the year.
More than half of China’s crude oil imports by sea pass through the Middle East via the Strait of Hormuz, according to maritime data sources, underscoring Beijing’s reliance on the route for energy security.
The White House also stated that Xi expressed interest in increasing purchases of American oil in an effort to reduce China’s dependence on the strategic waterway in the long term.
However, Beijing’s official readout of the meeting did not confirm any such commitment regarding increased US oil imports.
Notably, the U.S. statement did not reference discussions on Taiwan, a sensitive issue in US–China relations.
Earlier, Chinese state media reported that Xi warned Washington that mismanagement of the Taiwan issue could lead to direct conflict between both powers.
The meeting between both leaders is seen as part of broader efforts to stabilise relations between the world’s two largest economies amid ongoing geopolitical and trade tensions.
