In the weeks leading up to President Donald Trump's visit to Beijing, the U.S. administration pressed China to pressure Iran amid negotiations to reach a peace deal between Washington and Tehran. However, as Trump left the Chinese capital Friday afternoon after more than 40 hours on the ground and a series of meetings with Chairman Xi Jinping, there was little evidence the two powers had reached any agreement on how to end the war in Iran.
The war has now entered its 77th day.
According to a statement from the White House, “the two sides agreed that the Strait of Hormuz must remain open to support the free flow of energy.” The Chinese Foreign Ministry's statement, however, did not mention Iran's tolls or militarization of the strait, instead acknowledging that “the conflict has placed heavy pressure on global economic growth, supply chains, and the stability of energy supplies.”
On Iran's nuclear program, the White House said that “both countries agreed that Iran must never possess nuclear weapons.” The Chinese statement made no direct mention of this, emphasizing instead that “it is important to stabilize the momentum of de-escalation, maintain a political resolution direction, engage in dialogue and consultation, and reach a solution on the Iran nuclear issue and other issues that addresses the concerns of all parties.”
The statements from both sides essentially showed no concessions from their initial positions on Iran. China reaffirmed its commitment to Chairman Xi's four-point plan for Middle East peace, while the U.S. continued to oppose Iran's nuclear program.
Earlier, Trump administration officials sent mixed signals. President Trump told reporters he did not think the U.S. needed any help with Iran, while Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth acknowledged that China “has a lot of leverage” over Iran. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Secretary of State Marco Rubio urged China to play a more active role in reopening the Strait of Hormuz.
