US President Donald Trump has downplayed a report that Chinese entities supplied Iran with satellite imagery of a US military base in Jordan before a July missile attack that killed three American soldiers, saying China’s spying on the US is no different from Washington’s intelligence activities.“They basically do what we do,” Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One when asked about the report.“You know what they say? That China spies on us,” Trump said. “I say you’re right, and we spy on them, too.”Trump was responding to a Wall Street Journal report citing US officials that Iran obtained high-resolution satellite imagery from Chinese entities before and after its July 17 missile attack on Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in northeastern Jordan. Three US troops were killed and four wounded in the attack.The report raises questions over whether Chinese satellite intelligence helped Iran target US military personnel. However, US officials cited by the Journal did not identify the Chinese entities involved or accuse Beijing of directly ordering or participating in the attack. Reuters said it could not independently verify the report.Asked whether he would raise the issue with Chinese President Xi Jinping, Trump did not directly answer. Instead, he stressed the broader state of US-China ties and said Xi had “behaved reasonably well.”“I think he’s behaved reasonably well, and we behave reasonably well,” Trump said.The issue comes as Trump and Xi are expected to meet in the US on September 24. The meeting, which Beijing has yet to officially confirm, is expected to focus on stabilising ties between the world’s two largest economies, with trade and technology among key issues.The reported satellite link could add a sensitive security dimension to the talks, particularly because the alleged intelligence was connected to an attack that killed American service members.For Trump, the timing also presents a diplomatic balancing act: Washington has concerns over Chinese entities allegedly assisting Iran with intelligence, while the US president appears keen to prevent the issue from escalating tensions with Xi before their meeting.The key question now is whether the alleged transfer of satellite imagery represents routine Chinese intelligence activity or a more direct form of support to a US adversary, an issue that could test the fragile US-China relationship ahead of the summit.
