China has responded after President Trump earlier, in an interview with UK newspaper the Financial Times, threatened to delay a summit with Chinese leader Xi Jinping if Beijing doesn’t send help to secure the Strait of Hormuz.
When asked about the US president’s comments, a spokesperson for China’s foreign ministry says ‘‘head-of-state diplomacy plays an irreplaceable strategic guiding role in China-US relations’’, before adding ‘‘the two sides have maintained communication regarding President Trump’s visit’’.
In response to a question about Trump calling for warships to be sent to the Strait, Lin Jian says that recent tensions have disrupted trade routes and undermined regional and global peace.
‘‘China reiterates its call for all parties to immediately cease military operations,’’ the spokesperson says and adds ‘‘we are committed to promoting de-escalation.’’
Source: BBC
--Agencies
