Washington: U.S. President Donald Trump announced on Sunday that his anticipated trip to China might face delays, while intensifying his appeal for Beijing's assistance in maintaining the open status of the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial passageway for oil shipments. This comes in the midst of the ongoing U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran.

According to Yonhap News Agency, Trump conveyed these remarks during an eight-minute conversation with the Financial Times. A day prior, he had called upon nations such as South Korea, China, France, Japan, and Britain, among others, which are impacted by the "artificial constraint" on the waterway, to dispatch ships to secure the strait, which accounts for approximately 20% of the global oil supply.

Trump emphasized China's role by stating, "I think China should help too because China gets 90 percent of its oil from the Straits," as reported by the newspaper. He further mentioned that waiting until the summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping could be too late, suggesting that the situation requires more immediate attention. Trump had initially scheduled his visit to China from late this month to early April.

In the discussion, Trump also highlighted the potential repercussions for the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), cautioning that the alliance could face a "very bad" future if U.S. allies do not contribute to efforts in reopening the Strait of Hormuz. He remarked, "It's only appropriate that people who are the beneficiaries of the strait will help to make sure that nothing bad happens there."

Trump concluded with a warning about the implications of inaction, stating, "If there's no response or if it's a negative response I think it will be very bad for the future of NATO."