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President Donald Trump said Chinese President Xi Jinping has said he will not provide military equipment to Iran, which has been a central focus of the high-stakes meeting marking a possible win for the Trump administration.
Xi “said he’s not going to give military equipment. That’s a big statement. He said that today. That’s a big statement. (He) said that strongly,” Trump said to host Sean Hannity Thursday.
The pledge comes as the Trump administration increasingly has cast China not just as an economic rival, but as a key enabler of adversarial regimes, with Beijing’s economic and material support for Iran emerging as a central focus of this week’s high-stakes talks with Xi.
U.S. officials have increasingly accused China of helping prop up Iran’s military and economic strength through oil purchases, dual-use exports and intermediary networks.
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Trump added that Xi also offered to help end the conflict.
“He said, if I can be of any help at all, I would like to be of help,” Trump said.
Xi “said he’s not going to give military equipment. That’s a big statement. He said that today. That’s a big statement. (He) said that strongly,” Trump said. (Mark Schiefelbein/AP)
The White House and Chinese Embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to Digital’s requests for comment on the matter.
“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. He’d like to see Hormuz Strait opened,” said Trump. “I said, well, we didn’t stop it. They did it.”
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China heavily relies on Iranian oil imports purchasing around $31 billion to $32 billion of Iranian crude annually, according to Reuters.
President Donald Trump said Chinese President Xi Jinping has said he will not provide military equipment to Iran. (Kenny Holston/Pool Photo via AP)
Beijing ordered firms to ignore U.S. sanctions targeting Iranian oil in May — a direct challenge to Washington’s crackdown.
China’s Commerce Ministry invoked a 2021 “blocking statute” ahead of the summit which bars companies from complying with “illegitimate” foreign sanctions. The order targets several Chinese refiners accused by the U.S. of buying Iranian crude, including large independent processors known as “teapot” refineries.
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“He didn’t like the fact that they’re charging tolls,” said Trump. “I don’t know if they are or not. I don’t know who would pay him. I mean, where do they put the money to come to countries decimated, you know, they’re charging tolls where’s the money going,” said Trump.
President Donald Trump said that he believes a deal will be reached with China buying oil from the U.S. by the end of the trip. (Mark Schiefelbein/AP)
Trump said that he believes a deal will be reached with China buying oil from the U.S. by the end of the trip, prompting a spike in oil prices.
“They’re going to go to Texas. We’re going to start sending Chinese ships to Texas and to Louisiana and to Alaska. And I think that was another thing that was agreed to it. That’s a big thing,” said Trump.
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The two leaders held a bilateral tea meeting Friday morning local time in Beijing at the Zhongnanhai compound in their final meeting before Trump’s return to the White House.
‘ Morgan Phillips and Greg Wehner contributed to this report.
