U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said on Tuesday China ​had been an unreliable global partner during the Middle East war by hoarding oil supplies and limiting exports ‌of some goods, mirroring its actions with medical goods during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Bessent told reporters he had spoken with Chinese officials about the issue. He declined to answer a question about whether the dispute would derail Donald Trump’s plan to visit Beijing in mid-May, but said Trump and Xi ​Jinping had a very good working relationship.

“I think the message for the visit is stability. We’ve had great stability in ​the relationship since last summer; that emanates from the top down,” he said. “I think that communication is ⁠the key.”