Trump claims China supports opening of Strait of Hormuz

Washington - US President Donald Trump on Wednesday claimed that China welcomes the US mission to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. “China is very happy that I am permanently opening the Strait of Hormuz. I did it for them too, and for the world. Situations like this will not happen again. They have agreed not to send weapons to Iran,” Trump said via the Truth Social platform. Trump added that the US and China are working together well and smartly, and that cooperation is better than conflict. On Saturday, Iran and the US began talks in Islamabad after Trump announced a two-week ceasefire agreement with Tehran. On Sunday, Vice President J.D. Vance stated that Iran and the US failed to reach an agreement in those negotiations and the US delegation would return without any deal. On Monday, the US Navy began enforcing a blockade on all maritime traffic entering and exiting Iranian ports on both sides of the Strait of Hormuz, which accounts for around 20 percent of the world’s oil, petroleum products, and LNG supply. Washington emphasised that non-Iranian vessels can still transit the Strait of Hormuz as long as they do not pay fees to Tehran. Iranian authorities have not announced the implementation of such levies but have discussed plans in that direction.