BEIJING, Chinese President Xi Jinping called on Monday for the Strait of Hormuz to be opened to normal passage of ships, as Beijing calls it an “international waterway” and Iran claims inalienable rights over it.
An official statement said that during a phone call with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Xi Jinping said that normal navigation in the Strait of Hormuz should be maintained, which is in the common interest of regional countries and the international community.
This is the first time a Chinese leader has issued a statement on Iran’s closure of the Strait of Hormuz, which follows the United States’ blockade of Iranian ports in the current conflict.
The closure of the strait has led to serious energy shortages around the world, especially in Asia, and China, as the main importer of Iranian oil, is increasingly worried about the prolongation of the US-Israeli war.
In a phone call with a Saudi prince, Xi Jinping said that the Strait of Hormuz should remain open to normal traffic, which is in the common interest of regional countries and the international community.
The official statement said, “China advocates an immediate and comprehensive ceasefire, supports all efforts conducive to restoring peace, and insists on resolving disputes through political and diplomatic channels.”
Separately, the Chinese Foreign Ministry expressed concern that the U.S. Navy ignored a U.S. naval blockade and opened fire on a cargo ship sailing from China to an Iranian port.
The ship was subsequently seized by the U.S. Navy.
“We are concerned about the US’s forcible interception of relevant ships,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun told the media here on Monday.
He also called the Strait of Hormuz an international waterway, responding to claims by Iranian officials that Iran would not give up control over it, saying Tehran had an “inalienable right” to it.
When answering a question about the U.S. interception of cargo ships, Guo said that the situation in the Strait of Hormuz is sensitive and complex.
Iran vowed to retaliate, calling it an act of “piracy.” Tehran also said it would not participate in the second round of talks with the United States in Islamabad.
“We hope that relevant parties will act responsibly, abide by the ceasefire agreement, avoid provoking conflicts and exacerbating tensions, and create necessary conditions for the strait to resume normal navigation,” Guo said.
When asked about Iranian security forces opening fire on Indian-flagged ships in the Strait of Hormuz, Guo said: “I have stated China’s position on the Strait of Hormuz. We would like to reiterate that the Strait of Hormuz is an international waterway and maintaining its navigation is in the common interest of regional countries and the international community.”
He was responding to a question on how the firing by Iranian forces on an Indian-flagged vessel has raised concerns about safety of navigation, China’s view of the escalation and what measures it is considering to safeguard its shipping and energy interests in the strait.
Guo said China hopes that all parties will work together to prevent the situation in the Taiwan Strait from deteriorating further, and is willing to continue to work with the international community to make efforts to ease tensions.
This article was generated from automated news agency feeds without modifications to the text.
