The President of the United States has learned, if he was ever in doubt, that China is still willing to send war matériel to Iran despite whatever words of assurance he has received on that score from Chinese dictator Xi Jinping. The U.S. interrupted a Chinese vessel on the way to Iran bearing an unspecified “gift” (The Straits Times, April 22, 2026).
US President Donald Trump made cryptic comments on April 21 about China possibly providing weapons or other potentially lethal war supplies to Iran, a move that would test a US red line on aiding Tehran during the war.
The President suggested in an interview on CNBC on April 21 that the US caught a boat with a “gift” from China, after talking about the US restocking its munitions, hinting—without explicitly saying—that the present was some form of lethal aid for Tehran.
“We caught a ship yesterday that had some things on it, which wasn’t very nice—a gift from China, perhaps, I don’t know,” Mr Trump said. “I thought I had an understanding with President Xi, but that’s all right. That’s the way the war goes, right?”…
After Iran kept the strait closed to oil and gas tankers and other vessels with threats of attacks since the US and Israel launched the war on Feb 28, Mr Trump said on April 13 the US would blockade the waterway—which was still being used occasionally by Iran-linked or ships from nations friendly to Tehran.
So far, the US has stopped one sanctioned oil tanker and one Iranian cargo ship. It has turned around a total of 28 vessels, according to the US Central Command.
The president has threatened to impose new 50% tariffs on China if it ships weapons to Iran as it has reportedly planned to do.
A couple of weeks ago, he said on Truth Social: “A Country supplying Military Weapons to Iran will be immediately tariffed, on any and all goods sold to the United States of America, 50%, effective immediately. There will be no exclusions or exemptions!”
Trump has a May meeting with Xi Jinping coming up. If the ship wasn’t quite from China or wasn’t quite carrying munitions, the tariff penalty, assuming it is still in reserve, isn’t quite triggered. But Trump also seems to be saying that Xi did indeed violate some “understanding”—about what else but the shipping of weapons-related things to Iran?
