|
United States and China have agreed that "Iran can't have nuclear weapons," and that the Strait of Hormuz must be opened, according to US President Donald Trump. President Trump met with his Chinese conterpart XI Jinping during his three-day state visit to China, where he discussed the ongoing West Asia conflict, and other regional issues.
Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One following his departure from China, President Trump asserted that the US controls the Strait of Hormuz, while emphasising Iran has been hit with 500 million dollars of loss per day in the past two and half weeks due to US' naval blockade in the region. "I have a lot of respect for him. On Iran, he feels strongly that they can't have a nuclear weapon--said that very strongly, they can't have a nuclear weapon--and he wants them to open up the strait. But as he said, they close it and you close them. And it's true, we (US) control the strait, and they (Iran) have done no business in the last two and a half weeks, which is approximately 500 million dollars a day," said President Trump. President Trump further stated Chinese President Xi Jinping does not want to see a "fight for independence" in Taiwan because that would be a very strong confrontation. "We had a great stay; it was an amazing period of time. President Xi is an incredible guy. President Xi and I talked a lot about Taiwan. He thinks they cannot have anything to do with what they're doing. He's very much against what they're doing. We talked about Taiwan and we talked about Iran a lot, and I think we have a very good understanding on both. On Taiwan, he does not want to see a fight for independence because that would be a very strong confrontation. I heard him out. I didn't make a comment on it, but I heard him out. I have a lot of respect for him," Trump added. Trump said that even though he did not say anything about it, Xi had brought it up. Trump, in his gaggle with the press on Air Force One, was asked about the 1982 assurances former US President Ronald Reagan gave that the United States would not consult with China on arms sales to Taiwan, and if he consulted with them. He said, "I think 1982 is a long way away. It was a big, far distance. I didn't say anything about it, but he brought that up. He talked about that being an issue, obviously. So, what am I going to do--say I don't want to talk to you about it because I have an agreement that was signed in 1982? No, we discussed arms sales too. We discussed Taiwan in great detail, actually. And I'll be making a decision. The last thing we need right now is a war that's 9,500 miles away. We're doing very well." (ANI)
|
