China insists on free navigation in the Strait of Hormuz

In a telephone conversation with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, Foreign Minister Wang Yi said that Iran's "sovereignty, security and legitimate rights and interests" as a coastal state in the Strait must be respected and protected, according to a Chinese statement. At the same time, however, the "freedom and safety of international shipping" must also be guaranteed. Efforts to restore normal passage through the Strait of Hormuz are "the unanimous call of the international community".

Important route for Chinese ships

The background to the statements is the escalation around the strategically important strait in the course of the Iran war. After the attacks by the USA and Israel began, Tehran effectively blocked the strait by threatening and firing on tankers and cargo ships. Following the failure of talks between Washington and Tehran during the ceasefire, the USA has been blocking Iranian shipping in the Strait of Hormuz since Monday. However, the situation for other ships has by no means normalized as a result of the US naval blockade.

The strait is considered one of the most important routes for the global oil and liquid gas trade. It is of great importance to China because a significant proportion of its energy imports come from the Middle East. In addition, China has recently been the most important buyer of Iranian oil shipments.