Will Hormuz stay open? China responds

As tensions rose around one of the world's busiest shipping routes, China called for the safe and free movement of vessels through the Strait of Hormuz.

Speaking at a daily press briefing in Beijing on Monday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said restoring navigation through the strategic waterway was in the interests of all parties after Iran claimed it had closed the strait and the United States announced further strikes on Iranian targets.

"The Strait of Hormuz is a waterway used for international navigation, and restoring safe and free passage through the strait as soon as possible is in the interests of all parties. The issue of navigation through the strait should be properly addressed. China is willing to maintain communication with relevant countries and the international community on this matter," Lin said.

Iran's claim that it had closed the Strait of Hormuz was disputed by Washington, which maintained that the waterway remained open. The renewed fighting has placed additional pressure on a route that is vital for global energy supplies and commercial shipping.

During the same briefing, Lin rejected allegations from US Federal Maritime Commission chair Laura DiBella that China was using port state control inspections to target Panama after a dispute over port concessions near the Panama Canal.

He said Panama-flagged vessels had been involved in a disproportionate number of maritime incidents in Chinese waters.

"From January to July of this year, Panama-flagged vessels accounted for nearly 20 percent of the total number of foreign-flagged vessel calls at Chinese ports, while their share of vessel accidents and deaths or missing persons reached approximately 50 percent, respectively," Lin said.

Responding to DiBella's comments, Lin defended China's inspection regime.

"Port State control, as an important measure to ensure the safety of vessel navigation and the cleanliness of waters, serves as the primary means by which countries manage the safety of foreign-flagged vessels calling at their ports. China attaches great importance to waterborne traffic and personal safety and conducts port State control inspections on vessels calling at Chinese ports in accordance with laws and regulations, which is fully consistent with international conventions," he added.

Lin also confirmed that Chinese President Xi Jinping will attend the opening ceremony of the 2026 World Artificial Intelligence Conference and High-Level Meeting on Global AI Governance in Shanghai later this week.