Chinese President, Xi Jinping has urged United States President, Donald Trump to bring the war with Iran to an end as quickly as possible through negotiations, as the two leaders met at the White House on Thursday.

According to China’s state news agency, Xinhua, Xi told Trump during a closed door meeting that Beijing supports both Washington and Tehran returning to the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding reached earlier this year. He also backed an end to the naval blockades and expressed hope that both sides would resolve their differences through talks, reach a comprehensive agreement that includes the nuclear issue, and secure peace. Xi added that China has always held that the sovereignty and security of all countries should be respected, and said Beijing has played a constructive role in easing tensions.

The visit is Xi’s first to the White House in more than a decade and comes amid an ongoing trade dispute between the world’s two largest economies. Trump gave his guest a lavish welcome, and the talks are also expected to cover artificial intelligence and Taiwan.

On the last of these, Xi urged Washington to keep to its stated opposition to Taiwan independence and to handle the question with prudence, warning that this would lay a solid foundation for cooperation between the two countries.

The appeal comes as the war, now in its seventh month, shows little sign of easing. Oil prices have risen again as Washington and Tehran exchange fresh threats to widen the conflict. Three Iran linked tankers seized by the United States, carrying nearly six million barrels of Iranian crude, were reported to be in the Atlantic Ocean on Thursday.

Beijing has largely stayed on the sidelines of the conflict while calling for it to end. After a summit in Beijing in May, Trump said Xi had offered diplomatic help, wanted the Strait of Hormuz reopened and had ruled out supplying military equipment to Iran. Analysts have questioned how far China is willing to go in using its influence over Tehran.

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