Hormuz dispute puts Trump’s China visit in doubt

March 16, 2026 (MLN): U.S. President Donald Trump has indicated that his planned trip to China later this month could be postponed as Washington pushes Beijing to play a role in reopening the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz, highlighting fresh tensions in the already delicate relationship between the two global powers.

In an interview with the Financial Times, Trump said the United States wants clarity from China regarding the reopening of the oil transit chokepoint before he travels to Beijing for a summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping.

The visit had tentatively been scheduled for March 31 to April 2, according to CNBC.

Trump noted that the remaining weeks before the proposed meeting leave ample time for developments. “We may delay,” he said, suggesting the trip’s timing could change depending on Beijing’s response.

The comments came as U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent met Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng in Paris to discuss preparations for the summit.

Chinese authorities have not yet confirmed the dates for the meeting, as Beijing typically announces such visits closer to their scheduled time.

If it proceeds as planned, the visit would mark the first trip by a U.S. president to China since Trump’s earlier visit in 2017 during his first administration.

The proposed summit also follows a meeting between Trump and Xi in Busan, South Korea, about five months ago, where both leaders agreed to a one-year pause in a trade dispute that had previously driven tariffs to triple-digit levels.

China’s senior diplomat Wang Yi said earlier this month that the main topics for the leaders’ discussions had already been outlined.

Speaking aboard Air Force One on Sunday, Trump argued that China has strong incentives to help restore shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, noting that the country depends heavily on energy shipments moving through the corridor.

The strait is one of the world’s most critical energy routes, carrying roughly one-fifth of global daily oil supply.

However, China may be less vulnerable to disruptions than the U.S. president suggested. Over the past two decades, Beijing has diversified its energy sources and built large strategic oil reserves to shield its economy from supply shocks.

Estimates indicate that China holds about 1.2bn barrels of crude oil in storage, which could sustain domestic demand for several months during supply interruptions. Oil shipments passing through Hormuz now represent a smaller share of China’s overall energy consumption.

Some policy experts believe Trump’s remarks are primarily intended to increase leverage ahead of the planned summit rather than signal a genuine cancellation.

Edward Fishman, a senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, described the threat as a negotiating tactic. He suggested that China is unlikely to deploy naval forces to help reopen the waterway.

Fishman also pointed to China’s long-term investments in clean energy technology as a factor strengthening its global position.

Beijing has become a leading producer of solar panels, batteries, and electric vehicles, giving it considerable influence as countries accelerate the transition toward alternative energy.

Meanwhile, tensions between the two sides intensified ahead of the potential summit after the United States launched trade investigations into several countries over allegations including industrial overcapacity and forced labor concerns.

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