U.S. President Donald Trump stated that he will prioritize trade negotiations during his summit with Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping, and downplayed the amount of attention they will devote to the war with Iran. This was reported by Bloomberg, according to UNN.
Details
According to the head of the White House, they will talk with Xi "about many things - I would say, more than anything, about trade."
"We have many topics to discuss. Honestly, I wouldn't say Iran is one of them, because we have total control over Iran. We'll either make a deal or they'll be destroyed one way or another,"
The publication adds that Trump seeks to strike business deals and finalize details of a new trade agreement to manage relations between the world's two largest economies during the meeting with Xi.
"Both sides are expected to discuss extending the trade truce they reached last fall," the media outlet points out.
Background
China is a major buyer of Iranian oil. Beijing has called for the swift reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, which effectively remains closed as the U.S. blocks Iran's ports and Tehran restricts the flow of other international shipping.
The war has triggered a global energy crisis, causing world fuel supplies to dwindle.
Earlier, Trump stated he would pressure Xi regarding Beijing's approach to Iran. As the U.S. President said, "my relationship with President Xi is fantastic."
Recall
The day before, U.S. President Donald Trump stated that he would have a "long conversation" with Chinese President Xi Jinping about the war with Iran.
Trump to meet with Xi Jinping on Thursday at high-stakes US-China summit12.05.26, 12:55