Trump and Xi Agree: Strait of Hormuz Must Stay Open, Iran Cannot Have a Nuclear Weapon

President Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping agreed Thursday that the Strait of Hormuz "must remain open" and that Iran "can never have a nuclear weapon," according to a White House readout of their Beijing meeting. The joint stance on two of the Middle East's most sensitive pressure points marks a rare moment of US-China alignment on regional security.

Beyond the security framing, the leaders discussed a broad economic agenda: expanding US-China cooperation, increasing market access for American businesses, Chinese investment in US industries, agricultural purchases, fentanyl precursor flows, and energy security. Xi reportedly expressed interest in buying more American oil — a move that would reduce China's dependence on Hormuz transit and give both sides a commercial incentive to keep the waterway stable.

For energy and commodity markets, the signal is meaningful: the world's…