Opening Strait of Hormuz Is in China’s Interest, Says US Trade Chief

Fuel prices are rising in China, triggering long lines as residents seek to stock up on gas.

U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer addresses journalists during a press statement with U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent (unseen) following a new round of trade discussions with Chinese officials at the OECD Headquarters in Paris on March 16, 2026. China and the United States agreed that stable bilateral economic trade relations were beneficial to both countries and the world, China's International Trade Representative told reporters. Ludovic Marin/AFP via Getty Images

U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer says he has told Chinese trade officials that it is in their interest to help keep the Strait of Hormuz open, a critical chokepoint through which a fifth of the world’s energy passes.

“There are downstream economic effects of this trade,” Greer told Bloomberg on March 18. The trade ambassador met with Chinese trade negotiators on March 15 and 16 in Paris, where he raised the issue.