Fact Check: Did China agree not to supply weapons to Iran, as claimed by Trump?

BEIJING, CHINA: Following his visit to China, where he met with President Xi Jinping, President Donald Trump claimed that the nation has agreed not to supply weapons to Iran amid geopolitical tensions in the Middle East, sparking questions and speculation. Let us analyze Trump’s statement and fact-check its authenticity.

Claim: Donald Trump claims China agreed not to send weapons to Iran

Following his three-day visit to China, Trump claimed that the Chinese leader had assured him that Beijing would not send weapons to Iran amid the ongoing conflict.

“President Xi has promised me that he’s not sending any weapons to Iran. That’s a beautiful promise. I take him at his word,” the POTUS told reporters during an event at the construction site of the White House ballroom.

“He said that strongly, but at the same time, he said, you know, they buy a lot of their oil there and they’d like to keep doing that. He’d like to see Hormuz Strait opened,” Trump added.  

The claim has sparked speculations among many who are expressing disbelief and questioning its authenticity. 

Fact Check: China hasn't confirmed Trump's assertion

However, China has consistently maintained that it is not arming Iran. 

“We have responded to such questions many times, and we oppose the spread of false information,” Zhang Xiaogang, a spokesperson for the Chinese Ministry of National Defense, told reporters late last month when asked whether China supplied arms to Iran.  

Although there are viral social media rumors of China’s foreign ministry denying Trump’s claim that they agreed not to supply weapons to Iran, there are no credible reports or official announcements from the Chinese government.

Hence, the claim is marked as unverified, as China has not officially confirmed that it agreed not to send weapons to Iran. Also, the Chinese readouts of the meeting reportedly made no mention of Xi agreeing to anything on Iran. 

White House claims China opposes blockade of Strait of Hormuz

Following Trump’s visit, a White House official said in a readout of the meeting, “The two sides agreed that the Strait of Hormuz must remain open to support the free flow of energy.” 

“President Xi also made clear China’s opposition to the militarization of the Strait and any effort to charge a toll for its use, and he expressed interest in purchasing more American oil to reduce China’s dependence on the Strait in the future. Both countries agreed that Iran can never have a nuclear weapon,” the official said.