China said on Wednesday it welcomes a visit by US President Donald Trump, hours before his arrival in Beijing, where he is due to hold high-stakes talks with leader Xi Jinping.
“China welcomes President Trump on his state visit to China,” foreign ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun told a news briefing, adding that “China stands ready to work with the United States… to expand cooperation and manage differences”.
Before departing to China, Trump said that he does not need China’s help to end the conflict with Iran, adding that he will have extensive talks with his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping, during their summit this week. “We will have extensive discussions on this subject,” he told reporters.
Trump emphasized that he does not need Xi’s help to find a way out of the conflict that erupted two and a half months ago following a US-Israeli attack, before later escalating into a struggle for control of the Strait of Hormuz.
China is a major economic partner of Iran, purchasing the majority of Tehran’s oil production, and is also one of its strongest diplomatic backers. (AFP)
