According to the Wall Street Journal report, Chinese companies provided Iran with high-resolution satellite images of Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in Jordan before Iran launched a missile strike on July 17.
Asked about the report, Trump said, “They basically do what we do.”
When asked whether he would raise the issue during his upcoming meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping, Trump said Xi had behaved reasonably and that the United States was also dealing with China reasonably.
Defending the US position, Trump said, “You know what they say? They say, China spies on us. I say, okay. We spy on them too.”
Three US Soldiers Killed in Strike
The Wall Street Journal reported that US officials had found a connection between the satellite imagery provided to Iran and the July 17 attack on the Jordanian base.
Three US service members were killed in the missile strike.
According to the report, US officials view the incident as the clearest evidence so far that assistance provided to Iran by Chinese companies during the conflict had a direct and deadly impact on American troops.
However, US officials have not identified the Chinese companies that allegedly supplied the imagery. They have also not accused the Chinese government or Beijing of directly participating in the attack.
Xi Expected in Washington
Chinese President Xi Jinping is expected to travel to Washington on September 24 for talks with Trump, according to the report.
The alleged transfer of satellite imagery to Iran could add another sensitive issue to the agenda as Washington and Beijing seek to manage their increasingly complex relationship.
