By The Opinion
In a strategic shift that combines high-level diplomacy with military uncertainty in the Middle East, President Donald Trump described as “very kind” the position of his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping, regarding the conflict with Iran. The statements occur just days before the US president undertakes a planned visit to Beijing on May 13, where the energy crisis and tension in Taiwan will dominate the agenda.
From the White House, Trump highlighted that, despite the fact that the Asian giant depends 60% on oil from the Gulf, a sector severely affected by the recent blockade in the Strait of Hormuz, Xi Jinping has not challenged Washington’s position. “China has not challenged us. And he would not do that. I think he has been very kind,” stated the president, who also revealed that he had invited Beijing to supply US crude oil in Texas, Louisiana and Alaska to mitigate the shortage.
#WATCH | On what he hopes to accomplish with China’s President Xi Jinping referring to Iran, US President Donald Trump says, “I beget an extremely exact relationship with President Xi… I shall be talking about that…. He has been very nice about this. He will get like 60% of his oil from… pic.twitter.com/bIBvJJsEcI
— ANI (@ANI) Might perchance 5, 2026
End of the “Epic Fury” offensive and new defensive phase
While Trump was fine-tuning the details of his trip, his Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, confirmed that the military offensive against Iran, called “Epic Fury” and launched on February 28, has come to an end. According to Rubio, the conflict entered a new stage after the ceasefire on April 7, complying with the legal deadlines of the War Powers Law.
However, stability in the region remains precarious. Rubio presented “Project Freedom,” a strictly defensive operation designed to escort merchant ships and guarantee free navigation in the Strait of Hormuz.. “The United States will only attack if Iran shoots first,” emphasized the head of diplomacy. stressing that the primary objective is to unblock the transit of vital supplies that keep Asian powers such as Japan and South Korea in suspense.
Secretary of Instruct Marco Rubio delivers a particular message to what’s left of the Iranian Regime.
“They surely mustn’t take a look at the desire of the USA, at least no longer under President Donald Trump… if they take a look at him, sooner or later they’ll lose.” – @SecRubio pic.twitter.com/5Vyp8jPFL9
— The White Home (@WhiteHouse) Might perchance 5, 2026
Suspension of the operation through Pakistan
In a last-minute announcement through his Social Reality platform, President Trump surprised by reporting the temporary suspension of “Project Freedom.” This decision, taken just two days after its start, responds to a direct request from the Pakistani government to explore the possibility of a definitive agreement with Tehran.
“Worthy progress has been made toward an agreement,” the Republican wrote, although he clarified that the naval blockade against Iran will remain in force. while determining whether the pact can be finalized. This pause occurs at a critical moment, after the Central Command reported attacks with drones and small boats in the area, attributed to professional-Iranian forces.
Finally, Rubio confirmed that the thorny issue of Taiwan will also be on the table in Beijing. Following Xi Jinping’s warning against crossing the “red line” by selling weapons to Taipei, Washington seeks a balance that avoids destabilizing events in the Indo-Pacific. For Trump, the priority remains the internal relationship with Xi: “We get along well and make a lot of money together,” he concluded.
Keep reading:
- How China courts Europe in the face of the crisis with the United States
- What are China’s “teapot refineries” and how are they cushioning the oil crisis due to the war in Iran?
- Taiwan buys weapons from the US for $6.6 billion
