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Trump's U-turn on Xi Jinping as US intercepts Chinese ‘gift’ to Iran, ‘Thought I had understanding with him’
President Trump announced the U.S. confiscated a vessel containing unspecified items described as not very nice, referring to it as a gift from China.
President Donald Trump announced that the United States confiscated a vessel on Monday that contained items which were described as not being "very nice," referring to it as a "gift from China."
He did not disclose the location of the ship's seizure, whether it was registered under a Chinese flag, or the nature of its cargo.
“I was a little surprised, but because I have a very good relationship, and I thought I had an understanding with President Xi, but that’s alright, that’s the way war goes, right?” Trump told in an interview to CNBC.
Furthermore, he did not elaborate on the nature of the mysterious “gift.”
It seems that this incident took place recently amid the ongoing blockade imposed by the US, which Trump initiated to inspect vessels passing through the strait to confirm they are not transporting goods to or from Iran. US commandos have boarded multiple sanctioned ships in the area, including an operation that occurred overnight.
This allegation follows Trump's earlier warning that China would face “significant problems” if it provided air defense systems to Iran during the conflict last week.
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Xi and Trump to meet in May
Xi and Trump are scheduled to meet in Beijing in mid-May. This visit was initially planned for early April but was delayed due to Trump's preference to remain in the US during the Iran conflict.
As the conflict approaches its second month, it remains uncertain whether a resolution will be achieved prior to Trump's visit to Beijing on May 14-15. Initially, Trump had predicted that the war would conclude within six weeks.
Last phone call between Trump and Xi
The last publicly documented phone conversation between Trump and President Xi occurred in early February. Both leaders reported that the discussion was positive, with Trump describing it as 'excellent.'
According to a summary of the call provided by Chinese officials, “President Xi emphasized that the Taiwan question is the most important issue in China-U.S. relations. Taiwan is China’s territory.”
Xi's take on Strait of Hormuz as Trump expects ‘big, fat, hug’ from Chinese Prez
Recently, President Xi has conveyed a strong commitment to ensuring that the Strait of Hormuz remains open and functional throughout the conflict.
“The Strait of Hormuz should remain open to normal passage, as this serves the common interests of regional countries and the international community,” Xi stated during a call with Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on a Monday.
"China is very happy that I am permanently opening the Strait of Hormuz. I am doing it for them, also - And the World. This situation will never happen again. They have agreed not to send weapons to Iran," Trump announced in a post on Truth Social.
"President Xi will give me a big, fat, hug when I get there in a few weeks. We are working together smartly, and very well! Doesn’t that beat fighting??? BUT REMEMBER, we are very good at fighting, if we have to - far better than anyone else!" Trump added.
