President Trump directly warned Chinese President Xi Jinping that any assistance to Iran would be “totally unacceptable” during the Chinese leader’s high-profile visit to Washington, according to U.S. Ambassador to China David Perdue.
Perdue said Trump delivered the message during his private discussions with Xi at the White House on Thursday. The administration has been raising concerns with Beijing for weeks about possible Chinese assistance to Tehran amid the ongoing conflict involving Iran.
The warning covered both direct and indirect assistance, including intelligence, military equipment and components that could support Iran’s weapons programs. Perdue said American officials had already communicated those concerns to China before Xi arrived in Washington.
Trump reinforced that position personally during his meeting with Xi. Perdue described the talks between the two leaders as candid and said their discussions included some of the most difficult issues currently affecting relations between the United States and China.
Perdue also said the administration has seen indications that Beijing has responded to American warnings. He said China had pulled back some activities following discussions with U.S. officials, although he did not specify exactly what had been stopped or reduced.
Washington remains concerned about reports of indirect Chinese support for Tehran. Perdue acknowledged that the United States does not have direct evidence that China has helped Iran keep the Strait of Hormuz closed, but said officials continue to examine possible indirect assistance.
China is a major purchaser of Iranian oil and maintains extensive economic ties with Tehran. Reports have also raised questions about Chinese-origin components and technology potentially reaching Iran despite American sanctions.
Perdue said Trump and Xi share the position that Iran should not obtain a nuclear weapon. He also said the two leaders agreed on the importance of reopening the Strait of Hormuz and preventing any country from imposing tolls on vessels passing through the strategically important waterway.
Trump confirmed Friday that Iran was among the subjects he discussed with Xi during the state visit. Asked about efforts involving the Strait of Hormuz, Trump expressed confidence that progress could be made but did not provide additional details about his conversations with the Chinese president.
The Iran discussions were part of a much broader agenda during Xi’s three-day visit to Washington. Trump and Xi also addressed trade, artificial intelligence and other issues affecting the relationship between the world’s two largest economies, with Trump describing their talks as productive.
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