Speaking to Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) on the phone on Monday, Xi reiterated China’s support for “all efforts conducive to restoring peace and stands for resolving disputes through political and diplomatic means”. “The Strait of Hormuz should maintain normal passage, as this serves the common interests of regional countries and the international community,” Xi said, according to a Chinese readout of the call.
The readout did not specifically mention any of the key players in the war, although the United States and Iran have, between them, brought the strategic waterway to a standstill for the past seven weeks. Iran moved to close the strait to most marine traffic following the launch of the war on February 28, while the US launched a blockade of all Iranian ports on April 13.