US Pushes China on Opening of Hormuz; Warns Summit Cancellation Otherwise

• Donald Trump urged countries dependent on Gulf oil to send warships and minesweepers to help secure the Strait of Hormuz.

• Trump warned that a planned summit with Xi Jinping could be postponed if Beijing does not assist in reopening the shipping corridor.

• The US president also cautioned European allies that NATO’s future could be affected if member states fail to help protect the strategic waterway.

US President Donald Trump has urged countries that rely on West Asian oil to form a coalition in a bid to reopen and secure the strategic Strait of Hormuz. The strait has been under a near-complete closure in the wake of escalating tensions in West Asia, with no signs of easing between Iran, Israel and the US.

Speaking to reporters on Sunday, Trump said he had reached out to several countries to help police the narrow strait and escort ships through the waterways. Nearly 40% of global trade routes pass through the Strait of Hormuz, with a majority of shipments going to major economies including China, India and Japan.

“I really am demanding that these countries come in and protect their own territory,” Trump said. “It’s the place from which they get their energy, and they should come and they should help us protect it,” he noted.

He added that Washington has already begun communicating with other governments to gauge their openness to contributing naval assets and underscored that he has received some positive responses.

“Some of the countries have minesweepers. That’s good. Some of the countries have a certain type of boat that could help us,” Trump said. He expressed hope that China, France, Japan, South Korea and the United Kingdom, among others, would send ships to the Persian Gulf to escort oil tankers.

Trump also stressed the strategic significance of China, arguing that Beijing has a strong incentive to help reopen the shipping route owing to its heavy reliance on Gulf energy supplies.

“China is very reliant on oil transiting through the Strait of Hormuz, and they should come in and help secure the corridor,” he said. In an interview with the Financial Times, he said he could postpone a planned summit with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping if Beijing does not assist in reopening the critical waterway.

Further, the US president has also warned its European allies that the future of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) could be at risk if member states do not help secure the strait.

“It’s only appropriate that people who are the beneficiaries of the strait will help to make sure that nothing bad happens there. If there’s no response or if it’s a negative response, I think it will be very bad for the future of NATO.”