China Points the Finger at the US over the Closure of the Strait of Hormuz
Iran’s eastern ally, China, has pointed the finger at the United States (US) and Israel over the closure of the crucial maritime route of the Strait of Hormuz. China stated that the US and Israel’s attacks on Iran are the root cause of the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz.
The Strait of Hormuz is a strategic waterway for global oil and gas supplies, affected by the ongoing war between the US and Israel against Iran. Transit activities in this vital waterway have been effectively restricted since early March, triggering global disruptions that have increased shipping costs and driven up global oil prices.
In his speech at the White House on Wednesday (1/4) evening, US President Trump said that “countries around the world that receive oil through the Strait of Hormuz must keep that route open.”
“We will help, but they must lead in protecting the oil they so heavily rely on,” Trump stated in his speech.
Trump even urged countries dependent on the Strait of Hormuz to “just take it, protect it, use it for yourselves.”
Trump also claimed that the Strait of Hormuz would reopen “naturally” after the war ends, and that “gas prices will soon drop back down” – a statement that, according to CNN, has been refuted by economists and analysts.
China Points the Finger at the US
In response to Trump’s call for affected countries to seize the strategic waterway amid the Strait of Hormuz blockade, China reminded that the US and Israel’s attacks on Iran are the “root cause” of the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz.
“The root cause of the disruption to navigation through the Strait of Hormuz is the illegal military operations by the United States and Israel against Iran,” said spokesperson for China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mao Ning, in the latest press conference, as reported by AFP on Thursday (2/4).
Mao, in the press conference in Beijing, also called for an immediate ceasefire in the Middle East, following Trump’s threat to launch a massive attack on Iran in the coming weeks.
“Military means fundamentally cannot solve this problem, and escalating the conflict is not in the interests of either side,” Mao said.
He urged “relevant parties to immediately cease military operations.”
Trump had previously signalled that the US is prepared to intensify its military response to Iran over the next 2-3 weeks, and sparked controversy by saying he would bomb Iran back to the “Stone Age.”
Iran Speaks on the Future of the Strait of Hormuz
Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stated that the future of the Strait of Hormuz must be decided by Iran and Oman. Araghchi emphasised that the strategic waterway lies within the territorial waters of both countries.
“Any arrangements made (regarding the Strait of Hormuz) after the war are the business of Iran and Oman,” Araghchi asserted in an interview with local Qatari television, as reported by Al Arabiya on Thursday (2/4).
Araghchi added that the Strait of Hormuz “can become a waterway of peace” for safe passage. But he also said that ensuring maritime security and environmental protection would require joint mechanisms among coastal states.
Although part of the Strait of Hormuz lies within the territorial waters of Iran and Oman, the strait is classified as an international strait, which grants transit rights to ships and aircraft under international law.