WASHINGTON (TNND) — Chinese President Xi Jinping called for a ceasefire in the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran, adding that the Strait of Hormuz should be reopened.
Xi’s comments on Monday in a phone call with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman were the first time he mentioned reopening the Strait of Hormuz, according to China’s state-run media site Xinhua, The Hill reported.
The Chinese president called for an immediate and comprehensive ceasefire and cessation of hostilities in the Middle East, while saying that normal passage through the Strait of Hormuz “serves the common interest of regional countries and the international community.”
China’s close relationship with Iran and reliance on oil trade have suffered during the Strait’s effective closure. Meanwhile, China is balancing its ties with Gulf countries that Iran has attacked.
Xi met with United Arab Emirates President Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan last week, during which the Chinese president emphasized the importance of improving ties with Gulf states and “sustainable security architecture” in the region, upholding “international rule of law” and preventing the world “from returning to the law of the jungle.”
The temporary U.S.-Iranian ceasefire is expected to expire on Wednesday, and it is unclear if a second round of talks between U.S. and Iranian officials will take place in Pakistan that day. While the U.S. is prepared to send a delegation, Iran has yet to commit to the talks.
The Iranian government effectively shut down the Strait of Hormuz by controlling which ships pass through, reportedly charging tolls for safe passage. The U.S. has also recently imposed a naval blockade on Iranian commercial and oil ships in the Strait, turning back 27 vessels, boarding one commercial ship, and seizing a sanctioned oil tanker.
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The Strait’s closure has resulted in increased oil prices around the world.
