Highlights:
- US and China agreed no country should charge Hormuz shipping tolls.
- The Strait of Hormuz crisis remains central before the Trump-Xi summit.
- Iran demanded toll rights after the February conflict began.
- China supports safe passage but also backs Iran’s sovereignty claims.
- Trump said the US does not need China’s help on Iran.
The United States and China have agreed that no country should charge tolls in international waterways such as the Strait of Hormuz, according to the US State Department. The statement came before a major summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing later this week.
The Strait of Hormuz has become a major global concern after Iran almost completely shut the waterway following joint U.S.-Israeli airstrikes on February 28. The strait is one of the world’s most important shipping routes and previously carried about one-fifth of the global oil and gas supply.
The State Department said U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi discussed the issue during a phone call in April.
"They agreed that no country or organization can be allowed to charge tolls to pass through international waterways like the Strait of Hormuz," State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott told Reuters.
China’s embassy did not deny the US description of the discussion. Chinese embassy spokesperson Liu Pengyu said, "Keeping the area safe and stable and ensuring unimpeded passage serves the common interest of the international community."
Iran has demanded the right to collect tolls from ships passing through the strait as a condition for ending the conflict. The United States responded by imposing a naval blockade on Iran. President Trump had also suggested the possibility of imposing fees on shipping traffic or working with Iran to collect tolls. However, after criticism from inside and outside the country, the White House later said Trump wanted the Strait of Hormuz to remain open without restrictions.
Two sources familiar with the Rubio-Wang call said Rubio raised concerns about Chinese ships potentially paying tolls. The move appeared aimed at pushing Beijing to pressure Tehran to end the conflict.
China remains one of Iran’s major oil buyers and maintains close ties with Tehran. Trump has urged China to use its influence to encourage Iran to reach an agreement with Washington.
Later, Wang met Iran’s foreign minister and said the international community shared a "common concern about restoring normal and safe passage through the strait." He also repeated China’s support for Iran in "safeguarding its national sovereignty and security."
China recently vetoed a US-backed United Nations resolution calling for international cooperation to protect commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. Beijing argued the proposal was unfairly aimed at Iran. In response, US Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz accused China of allowing Iran to threaten the global economy.
The United States and Bahrain have now prepared another UN resolution demanding Iran stop attacks and mining activities in the strait. Diplomats believe China and Russia may also block this proposal.
Before leaving for China, Trump told reporters he planned to discuss Iran with Xi but added, "I don't think we need any help with Iran. We'll win it one way or the other, peacefully or otherwise."
Trump also said, "We have a lot of things to discuss. I wouldn't say Iran is one of them, to be honest with you, because we have Iran very much under control."
