US President Donald Trump has announced he will visit China in the coming weeks and expects a warm welcome from President Xi Jinping.
In a post on his Truth Social platform on Wednesday, Trump declared: “President Xi will give me a big, fat hug when I get there in a few weeks.” He added that the two leaders are “working together smartly, and very well.”
Trump also claimed China is “very happy” that he is “permanently opening the Strait of Hormuz.” He said the decision was made “for them, also – and the World.”
The remarks come days after the US Navy began enforcing a blockade of the strategic waterway amid the ongoing conflict with Iran. The Strait of Hormuz carries about one-fifth of global oil shipments.
NaijaChoice News reports that Trump linked the move to China agreeing not to supply weapons to Iran, a claim yet to be confirmed by Beijing.
For Nigeria, the development carries serious economic weight. As Africa’s top oil producer, the country depends heavily on stable crude prices for government revenue and foreign exchange.
The recent blockade had pushed Brent crude above $100 per barrel, raising fears of higher petrol prices and fresh hardship for Nigerian motorists already battling subsidy removal pains.
Analysts say permanently reopening the Strait could ease market tensions and help stabilise prices, offering some relief to Nigeria’s oil-dependent economy.
Trump’s planned trip to Beijing, now set for mid-May, is seen as an attempt to manage US-China ties even as both powers navigate the fallout from the Iran crisis.
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