Picture from Facebook: The White House
Trump reveals US seizure of gift ship from China destined for Iran, potentially challenging US red line prohibiting support to Tehran during war.
April 22, 2569 at 10.20:XNUMX, Bloomberg reported that U.S. President Donald Trump gave a vague signal on Tuesday that China may be involved in supplying weapons or wartime equipment to Iran. If this were true, it would be a challenge to the U.S. red line in supporting Tehran during the conflict.
Trump said in an interview with CNBC that... The United States intercepted a ship carrying some questionable items, which it described as possibly a gift from China, without confirming what they were.
"We just seized a ship yesterday. There were some things on board that weren't very good. They might have been gifts from China, I'm not sure." Trump said, adding that he understood there was some kind of agreement with President Xi Jinping.
The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs has denied the allegations. โดย Spokesperson Guo Jiakun specify that Based on available information, the ships seized by the US were foreign cargo ships, and China refuses to accept any connection or unsubstantiated speculation.
The Chinese embassy in Washington also reiterated that China conducts its arms exports cautiously and responsibly, and strictly controls the export of dual-use goods.
While U.S. officials have stated that Russia played a role in assisting Iran during the war, China's role remains unclear. Beijing typically avoids sending weapons into foreign conflicts or openly violating U.S. sanctions, as this could lead to economic retaliation, such as the 50% tariffs that Trump threatened to impose on countries supplying weapons to Iran.
However, earlier news reports indicated that... U.S. intelligence believes China may be preparing to send a new air defense system to Iran in the coming weeks, while Trump previously revealed that President Xi Jinping confirmed in a communication that China is not supplying weapons to Iran.
The US and Chinese leaders are scheduled to meet in Beijing in mid-May, after previous meetings were postponed due to the Iran-Iran conflict.
Analysts believe this situation has softened Trump's position, as involvement in the war prevents the US from fully launching a new trade war with China, and he is unlikely to want the tension to affect future visits to China.
Meanwhile, the United States continues to take measures to block ships attempting to pass through the Strait of Hormuz in order to pressure Iran ahead of upcoming negotiations.
Since the blockade began, the United States has intercepted one sanctioned oil tanker and one Iranian cargo ship, and ordered at least 28 other vessels to return to their original course.
In recent times, it has been speculated that China may indirectly support Iran, particularly as a major oil buyer and to help prop up its economy, but the level of military support remains unclear.
Some experts specify that Low but significant military assistance may still be occurring, and it's not something China is seriously trying to conceal.
however Analyst I think that Both the United States and China are trying to maintain a balance in their relationship amid tensions from the Iran conflict. China wants to stabilize its relationship with the United States, while Trump wants to demonstrate that he still has control over the situation with China.
Previously, China has been accused of indirectly supporting Russia in the Ukraine war, such as by providing satellite imagery and drone technology through the private sector. Meanwhile, Russia has played a role in supporting Iran in the current conflict, both in terms of intelligence and tactical use of drones.
refer : www.bloomberg.com
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