Chinese President Xi Jinping said in a phone conversation with Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on Monday that the Strait of Hormuz must “remain open,” Chinese state broadcaster CCTV reported, according to AFP.
After announcing the opening of the strait on Friday, Iran changed its mind on Saturday, reigniting tensions with the United States ahead of the imminent expiration of a truce agreed between the two countries.
Tehran said the maintenance of the US blockade on Iranian ports was the reason for resuming “strict control” of the strait.
China is one of the main recipient countries of the oil transiting through this strait, notes Agerpres.
“The Strait of Hormuz must remain open for normal navigation. It is in the common interest of countries in the region and the international community,” Xi Jinping told Mohammed bin Salman.
“China advocates an immediate and comprehensive truce, supports all efforts conducive to the restoration of peace, and remains committed to resolving disputes through political and diplomatic channels,” the Chinese president also said.
Uncertainty reigned Monday over the prospect of a new round of US-Iran talks in Pakistan, following Tehran's refusal to confirm its participation at this stage and the US seizure of an Iranian cargo ship in the Gulf of Oman on Sunday.
AFP notes that the Chinese leader's public statements about the war in the Middle East have been rare since the outbreak of the conflict on February 28 with the Israeli-American attacks on Iran.
