US President Donald Trump is set to visit China and meet his counterpart Xi Jinping at the end of this month, but the summit is now facing uncertainty due to the Strait of Hormuz issue.
Trump has made China's help in securing the key waterway contingent to his visit, threatening to delay the summit if Beijing doesn't comply.
The US President wants China to join a team effort to send ships to the strait, which is crucial for global oil supplies.
China, however, has dismissed the idea, calling it a 'carefully structured transfer of risk' that could create flashpoints in the volatile waterway.
Chinese officials have condemned Trump's war on Iran, a diplomatic friend of Beijing, and are unlikely to send ships to the strait.
The summit's fate remains uncertain, with Chinese officials saying they are in talks with Washington over Trump's visit.
Trump has a history of making threats to call off deals in the final stages of negotiating, and a delay to the summit could suit Beijing, which had previously proposed a postponement to allow for more discussion on security and diplomatic issues.
