U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said on Monday that Washington will be watching to see if China intensifies diplomatic engagement with Iran to encourage Tehran to open the Strait of Hormuz.
Speaking on Fox News Channel's "America's Newsroom," Bessent said he plans to press Chinese officials to align with the United States in urging Iran to allow passage through the waterway. He framed the request as part of ongoing diplomatic outreach and said Washington will track whether Beijing increases its efforts.
Bessent also disclosed that Iran has been a topic of discussion between President Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping during their phone calls. He highlighted the bilateral leader-to-leader communications as a channel through which the two administrations have already exchanged views on the matter.
Looking ahead to a scheduled summit in Beijing, Bessent described the meeting as a chance for Presidents Trump and Xi to continue their dialogue. He said the summit offers an opportunity to "exchange views" and to advance the consensus that was reached between the two leaders at a gathering in South Korea last year.
Context and emphasis
Bessent's remarks on television underscored a U.S. interest in enlisting Chinese diplomatic influence regarding Iran and the status of the Strait of Hormuz. He emphasized both direct engagement with Chinese officials and the use of high-level conversations between Presidents Trump and Xi as mechanisms to pursue a shared objective.
Next steps signaled by the Treasury Secretary
- Bessent said Washington will monitor whether China increases its diplomatic efforts with Iran.
- He indicated he will urge Chinese officials to support U.S. calls for reopening the strait.
- He pointed to the upcoming Beijing summit as a forum to build on a consensus reached in South Korea last year.
Those are the public positions outlined by Bessent during his appearance on national television, reflecting current U.S. diplomatic strategy as presented by the Treasury Department.