President Donald Trump has warned he could postpone a scheduled summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping if China does not assist in efforts to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

The meeting between the two leaders is set to begin in just over two weeks, though specific dates and location details were not provided in the initial reporting.

Trump's threat introduces a new element of uncertainty into U.S.-China relations, linking the bilateral summit to the situation in the strategically important Strait of Hormuz. The waterway serves as a critical shipping lane for global oil exports from the Persian Gulf region.

The connection Trump drew between China's cooperation on the Strait of Hormuz and the planned summit represents an expansion of issues potentially affecting U.S.-China diplomatic engagement beyond traditional bilateral concerns such as trade and regional security.

Neither the White House nor Chinese officials immediately provided additional details about the specific nature of assistance Trump is seeking from China regarding the strait, or what circumstances have led to concerns about access to the waterway.