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By Lawrence Agbo
China has blamed the United States and Israel for the disruption of shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, describing their strikes on Iran as the “root cause” of the blockage.
Speaking on Thursday, Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said the interruption to navigation followed what she called “illegal military operations” carried out by Washington and Tel Aviv against Tehran.
The remarks came after Donald Trump urged countries dependent on oil shipments through the vital waterway to take control of the passage, saying they should “take care of that passage” and “protect it” for their own use.
Iran has effectively shut down the Strait in retaliation for the joint strikes, escalating tensions in the Middle East and threatening global energy supply chains.
China, the largest buyer of Iranian crude, has been significantly impacted, as most of its imports transit through the narrow maritime corridor.
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Responding to Trump’s stance, Mao warned that military escalation would not resolve the crisis, stressing that further conflict would only deepen instability rather than bring a lasting solution.
“military means cannot fundamentally solve the problem, and the escalation of conflicts is not in the interests of either side.”
Despite mounting pressure at home over the war, Trump has maintained that the conflict could soon wind down, although he cautioned that heavy bombardments could continue for another two to three weeks.
He also signalled potential strikes on critical Iranian infrastructure, including power generation facilities, if negotiations fail.
The disruption has already rattled global markets, with oil prices surging by as much as 40 to 50 percent, hitting industries reliant on fuel. Airlines have been among the hardest hit, with carriers such as Air China announcing increases in fuel surcharges on domestic routes beginning Sunday.
