Washington DC [US], May 14 (ANI): A divergence in tone has emerged within the US leadership over China’s role in managing tensions surrounding the Strait of Hormuz and the broader conflict in West Asia.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio has urged Beijing to take a more active diplomatic role in helping reopen the strategic waterway, while President Donald Trump has downplayed the need for Chinese involvement, asserting that Washington can manage the situation independently.
Speaking in an interview with Sean Hannity on Fox News aboard Air Force One ahead of his arrival in China, Rubio said the US has been pressing Beijing to use its influence, particularly at the United Nations, to help de-escalate tensions involving Iran and maritime movement through the strait.
“We made the argument to the Chinese, and I hope it’s compelling and they have a chance to do something about it at the United Nations later this week, and there’s a resolution just condemning Iran about what they’re doing with the straits,” Rubio said.
The secretary of state claimed the maritime crisis in the region was already affecting Chinese interests and global trade, highlighting the economic risks linked to energy flows, supply chain disruptions, and shipping insecurity.
Rubio outlined three key concerns regarding China’s position on the issue, including shipping disruptions, regional instability, and economic risks tied to global trade flows.
“There are three things. The Chinese have ships stuck in the Persian Gulf because setting up a system that says you’re going to let certain ships through but others not is easier said than done,” Rubio said.
“The second is I don’t think China is a huge source of instability, and it threatens to destabilize Asia more than any other part of the world because it’s heavily reliant on the strait for energy. The third reason is that China’s economy is export-driven, meaning their economy is fueled not by what they consume domestically but also by what they make and sell to other countries. If a lot of countries’ economies are melting down because of this crisis in the straits, they are going to be buying fewer Chinese products, and Chinese exports will drop precipitously,” he added.
“It’s in my interest to resolve this. We hope to convince them to play a more active role in getting Iran to walk away from what they’re doing now and trying to do in the Persian Gulf,” Rubio said further.
Rubio’s remarks underline Washington’s push for broader international pressure on Iran, especially through China, given Beijing’s dependence on Middle Eastern energy routes and its close ties with Tehran.
However, Trump struck a contrasting tone, suggesting the US does not require outside assistance to manage the situation and would address it through its own strategy.
“I don’t think we need any help with Iran. We’ll win it one way or another. We’ll win it peacefully or otherwise,” Trump told reporters Tuesday on the South Lawn of the White House before departing for China.
When asked about his message to Chinese President Xi Jinping regarding Iran, Trump said, “I think he’s been relatively good, to be honest with you. You look at the blockade; no problem. They get a lot of their oil from that area. We’ve had no problem. And he’s been a friend of mine.”
Minutes later, Trump downplayed the significance of discussing Iran with China, saying trade relations would dominate his talks with Xi and insisting the US situation was “very much under control.”
“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. We’re either going to make a deal, or they’re going to be decimated,” he said.
As Trump and Xi Jinping hold high-stakes discussions, attention will remain focused on whether differences within the US administration result in a coordinated diplomatic approach involving China on Iran and Gulf tensions or whether Washington continues to pursue a more unilateral strategy in managing the crisis. (ANI)
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