China's President Xi Jinping, right, and U.S. President Donald Trump visit the Temple of Heaven in Beijing Thursday, May 14, 2026. (Brendan Smialowski/Pool Photo via AP)
The United States and China have agreed that Iran can have a nuclear weapon, the White House said on May 14, after President Donald Trump met his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping at a summit in Beijing.
The two sides also agreed that the Strait of Hormuz must remain open to support the free flow of energy, according to the White House.
“President Xi also made clear China’s opposition to the militarization of the strait and any effort to charge a toll for its use, and he expressed interest in purchasing more American oil to reduce China’s dependence on the strait in the future,” the White House said, adding that the two leaders held a “good meeting.
China is directly affected by the lack of petroleum crossing the Strait of Hormuz.
More than half of the crude imported by sea to China comes from the Middle East and mainly transits through the strait.
According to the White House, Xi expressed an interest in purchasing more American oil to reduce China’s dependence on the strait in the future.
Beijing’s own readout of the meeting did not mention any such interest.
The White House statement did not mention any discussions between the two leaders on Taiwan.
Xi earlier warned Trump that missteps on Taiwan could push their two countries into “conflicti”
Trump had arrived in China with accolades for his host, calling Xi a “great leader” and “friend”, as he predicted their countries would have “a fantastic future together.”
But beyond the pomp as he welcomed Trump, Xi in less effusive tones said the two sides “should be partners and not rivals.”
“The Taiwan question is the most important issue in China-U.S. relations,” Xi said, according to remarks published by Chinese state media shortly after the start of the talks, which lasted two hours 15 minutes.
“If mishandled, the two nations could collide or even come into conflict, pushing the entire China-U.S. relationship into a highly perilous situation,” Xi added.
Trump’s trip to Beijing is the first by a U.S. president in nearly a decade, with the grand reception belying a roster of unresolved trade and geopolitical tensions between the two countries.
Xi greeted Trump with a red-carpet welcome at the opulent Great Hall of the People, with military band fanfare, a 21-gun salute and a host of schoolchildren jumping and chanting “welcome!”
Seemingly enjoying the ceremony, Trump said “the relationship between China and the USA is going to be better than ever before.”
The two men also discussed economic cooperation, with Trump hoping for business deals on agriculture, aircraft and other sectors.
Elite businessmen in his delegation, including Nvidia’s Jensen Huang and Tesla’s Elon Musk, were at the welcome ceremony and joined for a portion of the Trump-Xi talks, the White House said.
