The news text discusses the hijacking of a commercial ship in the Strait of Hormuz, a vital waterway for global oil transportation, and China's involvement in the ongoing conflict between the US and Iran. The text also mentions the impact of the conflict on global oil prices and the US midterm elections.
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A commercial ship passing through the Strait of Hormuz off the United Arab Emirates was hijacked on Thursday and is now being steered toward Iranian waters, a British maritime agency says. The vessel was boarded by 'unauthorized personnel' while anchored 38 nautical miles northeast of the UAE, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center said. The Iranian regime, meanwhile, has bragged that they allowed over 30 vessels to safely pass through Hormuz with 'approval from Tehran', according to state media.
During their monumental diplomatic summit, Trump and Xi reportedly agreed that the Strait of Hormuz, which transports one-fifth of all global oil, must be reopened.
'The two sides agreed that the Strait of Hormuz must remain open to support the free flow of energy,' said a White House official. Xi reportedly made clear China opposes any militarization of the Strait or attempts to impose tolls on its use, and signaled interest in buying more American oil to cut China's reliance on the waterway over time.
'Both countries agreed that Iran can never have a nuclear weapon,' the White House official added. A commercial ship passing through the Strait of Hormuz off the United Arab Emirates was hijacked on Thursday and is now being steered toward Iranian waters Fire and smoke rise into the sky after an Israeli attack on the Shahran oil depot on June 15, 2025 in Tehran, Iran Xi reportedly made clear China opposes any militarization of the Strait or attempts to impose tolls on its use Peace negotiations between the US and Iran have stalled as Tehran demands full control of the Strait of Hormuz while Washington pressures the regime to surrender its enriched uranium stockpile.
China is the single largest buyer of crude oil shipped through the strait, with roughly half of its imported oil passing through the narrow chokepoint. Beijing relies heavily on Gulf producers like Saudi Arabia, Iraq and Iran to fuel the their economy, leaving it acutely exposed to any disruption in the waterway. XI has previously condemned Trump's naval blockade of Iranian ports during the ceasefire.
It is unclear if the two leaders will be able to come to a formal agreement regarding Iran and the reopening of the waterway before the summit ends. Since the war began a few months ago, global oil prices have skyrocketed above $100 a barrel, while US gas prices now hover around $4.50 a gallon on average.
A secret report given to Trump's top general warning that China is selling weapons to America's Middle East allies as US forces burn through their stockpiles. The analysis, drawn up this week by the Joint Staff's intelligence directorate for General Dan Caine has sparked alarm inside the Pentagon, and lands as Trump prepares to meet Xi Jinping in Beijing on Thursday.
XI has previously condemned Trump's naval blockade of Iranian ports during the ceasefire It is unclear if the two leaders will be able to come to a formal agreement regarding Iran and the reopening of the waterway before the summit ends Iran has managed to effectively close off the Strait of Hormuz in recent months through a combination of small attack boats, drones, and sea mines laid in the narrow waterway With America depleting its arsenal to defend Gulf allies from the Iranian barrage, China stepped in to fill the shortfall, selling weapons to the very US allies Washington was scrambling to protect.
The intelligence analysis, reported by the Washington Post, did not name the Gulf states which China supplied, but Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates have for years been Beijing's biggest regional customers. China has also supplied energy to countries suffering from Iran's closure of the Strait of Hormuz, among them Australia, Thailand and the Philippines, all US treaty allies.
Trump's summit with Xi was postponed in March because of the Iran war, and he arrives in Beijing with his standing battered at home and abroad over the conflict which has wrought chaos on the global economy. The President remains adamant that Iran cannot get its hands on a nuclear bomb, but is increasingly eager to end the war which has sent oil prices skyrocketing ahead of crucial midterm elections in November.
China has seized on the 39-day conflict to expand its military, economic and diplomatic influence around the world, the intelligence report warns
Strait Of Hormuz Iranian Hijacking China's Role Global Oil Prices US Midterm Elections
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