Trump says he thanked China for staying out of the conflict with Iran after personally urging Beijing not to intervene.
Speaking to reporters, Trump said he had asked Chinese President Xi Jinping to keep China away from the fighting, despite Beijing’s dependence on energy shipments moving through the Strait of Hormuz.
“I want to thank China because I asked China not to get involved with Iran,” Trump said.
Trump said China receives about half of its oil through the strategic waterway, giving Beijing a major stake in any disruption to shipping there.
“They get 50 percent of their oil from the Strait, but I asked him not to get involved, and he said he wouldn’t – and he didn’t,” Trump said. “He made it very nice, actually, very nice. And I appreciate that.”
