During discussions at the White House, President Trump explicitly stated to visiting Chinese leader Xi Jinping that it would be “unacceptable” for Beijing to provide support to Iran while the United States conducts its military campaign against the nation. According to a US official speaking to CNBC, the administration had communicated this stance several weeks prior to the summit.
Perdue, in an interview with CNBC, emphasized the clarity of the US position. “We made it very clear to them weeks ago that any help they would give Iran, whether it be direct or indirect, whether it be intelligence or parts or military equipment, was totally unacceptable,” Perdue said. He confirmed that President Trump reiterated this warning during their meeting yesterday.
The summit is expected to conclude with Xi departing Washington after a tour of the National Archives. The visit will include a look at the nation’s vault of records, where foundational documents such as the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights are preserved.
The shift from military threats to museum tours is quite jarring. I’m curious if any concrete agreements came out of this summit beyond the warning.
Are we sure Xi actually cares what Washington says? China has a history of balancing relationships with Iran regardless of US pressure.
Xi visiting the National Archives? That’s a symbolic contrast to the harsh language about Iran. Definitely an interesting diplomatic move by the White House.
An archives visit as a closing gesture is surprisingly diplomatic given the tense military warnings exchanged earlier in the day.