US urges China to back its ‘most crushing economic operation’ against Iran
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on Thursday urged China to join Washington’s latest efforts to economically pressure and isolate Iran after negotiations to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and end the six-month conflict collapsed. “Keep in mind, the Chinese get 50 per cent of their energy from the Gulf. So, it would do them a big service to get with the programme,” Bessent told CNBC when asked…
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent urged China to support Washington's latest efforts to economically pressure Iran, following the collapse of negotiations to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Bessent highlighted that China relies on 50% of its energy from the Gulf, making it in their best interest to cooperate. Many conversations about the issue should be private, to maintain sensitivity ahead of Chinese President Xi Jinping's visit to Washington in September.
Gulf nations, including Saudi Arabia and the UAE, account for 27.6% of China's total crude imports in July. Bessent added that allies and adversaries will need to choose sides in Washington's latest campaign to isolate Iran economically, declaring it the "greatest coordinated economic isolation in the history of the world."
Written by urgent.news from Reuters Business via SCMP's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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