China urges early restoration of safe passage through Strait of Hormuz
China has called for the early restoration of free and safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz as the US and Iran exchanged fresh claims of retaliatory strikes. The appeal came as tensions rose again despite a memorandum signed last month under Pakistani mediation.
BEIJING: China on Monday renewed its call for the swift restoration of secure and unrestricted navigation through the Strait of Hormuz as military exchanges between the United States and Iran intensified again.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian told reporters in Beijing that the waterway was an international shipping route and said all sides had a stake in reopening it to normal traffic.
The Strait of Hormuz is a strait for international navigation. Resuming free and safe passage in the strait at an early date serves interests of all sides,he said.
Lin also said the issue of transit through the strait should be handled properly, according to his remarks at the regular press briefing.
Fresh claims of strikes
China’s statement came after both Washington and Tehran reported new retaliatory attacks on Monday.
According to Iran’s state broadcaster IRIB, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said it had targeted US military facilities in Bahrain and radar systems in neighbouring Oman. The IRGC Navy said it had destroyed US long-range air surveillance and maritime detection radar systems in Oman and also struck US military facilities in Bahrain as part of what it described as the latest stage of Iran’s retaliation to continued US action.
Earlier, the US military said it had carried out a new round of offensive strikes against Iran, targeting dozens of military locations. It said the operation was intended to weaken Iran’s capacity to keep attacking international shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.
Tensions after shipping attacks
The latest statements were made against the backdrop of escalating confrontation between Iran and the United States following attacks on commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz.
Last month, Iran and the United States signed a memorandum of understanding under Pakistani mediation aimed at halting their military conflict and working toward a durable peace agreement. But amid the latest escalation, US President Donald Trump said the memorandum of understanding with Iran was over.
China’s remarks underscored its emphasis on restoring maritime access in one of the world’s most strategically important shipping lanes as the conflict between Tehran and Washington showed signs of further deterioration.
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