President Donald Trump is set to depart Tuesday for Beijing to meet with President Xi Jinping, following weeks of unsuccessful U.S. Efforts to convince the Chinese government to use its influence to end a two-month war with Iran or secure the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.
The high-stakes visit comes amid a complex diplomatic landscape. While President Trump has expressed frustration that China—the largest buyer of Iranian oil—has not done more to bring the Islamic Republic into compliance with U.S. Terms, he has also acknowledged that the Chinese government helped de-escalate the conflict last month by encouraging Tehran to return to ceasefire negotiations.
Despite the upcoming summit, the White House has maintained low expectations regarding whether President Trump can persuade President Xi to shift China’s current posture. The administration appears focused on ensuring that disagreements over Iran do not derail broader diplomatic efforts, including trade discussions and cooperation to block the export of fentanyl precursors.
“We don’t want this to be something that derails the broader relationship or the agreements that might come out of our meeting in Beijing,” U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer stated on Bloomberg TV last week.
The trip follows a period of escalating economic tension. On Friday, the State Department announced sanctions against four entities, including three based in China, for providing sensitive satellite imagery used in Iranian military strikes against U.S. Forces in the Middle East. The Treasury Department targeted Chinese oil refineries and shippers accused of purchasing oil from Tehran, effectively cutting these companies off from the U.S. Financial system.
Beijing has responded by labeling the sanctions “illegal unilateral pressure.” In response, China has enacted a blocking statute—originally passed in 2021 but unused until now—which prohibits Chinese entities from complying with or recognizing the sanctions.
China’s diplomatic positioning remains cautious. Last week, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi hosted Iranian counterpart Abbas Araghchi in Beijing, where Wang defended Iran’s right to develop civilian nuclear energy. President Xi has also offered implicit criticism of U.S. Actions, stating that the international rule of law “must not be selectively applied or disregarded” and warning that the world should not return “to the law of the jungle.”
Analysts suggest that both nations have significant economic incentives to maintain stability:
- Global Energy Flow: Approximately 20% of the world’s crude oil flowed through the Strait of Hormuz before the war began.
- Chinese Dependency: According to China’s General Administration of Customs, China imports nearly one-third of its liquefied natural gas and about half of its crude oil from Middle Eastern countries affected by the closure of the strait.
- Trade Stability: Both powers are likely eager to avoid a return to the extreme trade tensions seen last year, when Trump set tariffs on Chinese goods at 145% and China tightened rare-earth export controls. A fragile truce in trade disputes was eventually reached in October.
The relationship has faced several volatile moments since U.S. And Israeli strikes on Iran in late February. The U.S. Government has long accused China of supporting Iran’s ballistic missile program through dual-use industrial components. Last month, President Trump threatened a 50% tariff on China over reports of air defense systems being delivered to Iran, though he later withdrew the threat after receiving written assurances from President Xi. Trump also recently claimed the U.S. Navy intercepted a Chinese vessel carrying a “gift” for Iran, though he provided no further details.
While Secretary of State Marco Rubio has argued that China’s export-driven economy makes it imperative for Beijing to ensure the Strait of Hormuz is reopened, some experts believe China will remain hesitant. Kurt Campbell, chair of The Asia Group and a former deputy secretary of state, noted that it may be difficult to get China deeply involved because they may perceive the situation as “political quicksand.”
Looking ahead, the summit may serve as a test of whether the two largest economies can isolate the Iran conflict to preserve a predictable trade environment. While a breakthrough on the Strait of Hormuz remains a primary U.S. Goal, analysts suggest President Xi may view a successful outcome as one that validates China’s superpower status and maintains stability without requiring a surrender of its own terms.
