Donald Trump said Tuesday morning that U.S. forces in the region intercepted what he described as a “gift” sent from China to Iran, as he expressed frustration with Chinese President Xi Jinping ahead of their planned meeting in Beijing next month.
Speaking to CNBC about the conflict involving Iran, Trump claimed the Islamic regime has been attempting to move missiles even during the ceasefire.
“They’ve probably done some limited restocking. We intercepted a ship yesterday carrying certain items, which wasn’t very nice — a gift from China,” he said.
“Maybe that’s the case, maybe not. But I was a bit surprised, because I have a strong relationship with President Xi, and I thought we had an understanding. Still, that’s how war goes.”
Trump did not provide further details about what the alleged “gift” contained.
China has denied providing any assistance to Iran.
MSN reports: It appears the incident occurred recently during the ongoing US blockade that Trump ordered to vet ships transiting the strait to ensure they are not carrying supplies to or from Iran. US commandos have boarded several sanctioned vessels in the region, including an operation overnight.
The accusation comes after Trump previously warned China would have ‘big problems’ if it supplied air defense systems to Iran during the war last week.
Xi and Trump are due to meet in Beijing in mid-May. The trip was originally scheduled for the beginning of April, but it was postponed due to Trump’s desire to stay in the US amid the Iran war.
As the conflict nears its second month, it is unclear whether it will be resolved in time for Trump’s May 14-15 visit to Beijing. Initially, Trump forecasted that the war would be completed within six weeks.
Trump’s last publicly reported phone call with President Xi was in early February. Both presidents said the conversation went favorably, Trump called it ‘excellent.’
‘President Xi emphasized that the Taiwan question is the most important issue in China-U.S. relations. Taiwan is China’s territory,’ a readout of the call from Chinese officials stated.
Recently, President Xi has expressed a strong desire to keep the Strait of Hormuz open and operational during the conflict.
‘The Strait of Hormuz should remain open to normal passage, as this serves the common interests of regional countries and the international community,’ Xi told Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on a Monday call.
The US-Iran war’s impact on China’s energy market has been a concern for Xi as the country looks to get more involved in ending hostilities.
China purchased up to 80 percent of Iran’s shipped oil supply in 2025, according to analytics firm Kpler.
Trump also repeated his belief that Iran will be forced to strike a deal with the US. But if Iran does not come to the table, Trump made clear he’s ready to resume bombings across the country.