US-China Agree to Reject Claims in the Strait of Hormuz

JAKARTA - US Secretary of State (Menlu) Marco Rubio and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi agreed that no country should impose toll rates to cross the Strait of Hormuz.

US State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott told Kyodo News that the agreement was reached when Rubio and Wang had a telephone conversation on April 30.

"Both agreed that no country or organization is allowed to impose toll fees to cross international waterways, such as the Strait of Hormuz," said Pigott as quoted by ANTARA, Wednesday, May 13.

According to him, both parties also agreed that Washington and Beijing needed to build a constructive relationship that was strategically stable, based on mutual respect and reciprocity.

The deal comes as Iran is said to still restrict key oil and gas shipping lanes from the Middle East, so the US and Israel's conflict with Iran is expected to be one of the main issues at US President Donald Trump's meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing this week.

Trump is said to be frustrated by the lack of progress in talks to reopen the strait, while gasoline prices in the country remain high.

Therefore, Trumpakan asked Xi to "urge" Iran to reach an agreement with the United States. China is the largest buyer of Iranian crude oil and is an important economic lifeline for Tehran.

Rubio accompanied Trump on his visit to Beijing with US Secretary of Defense (Menhan) Pete Hegseth. Trump is scheduled to meet Xi on Thursday (14/5) and Friday (15/5).