Beijing: China on Thursday pinned the “root cause” of the Strait of Hormuz blockade on US and Israeli strikes against Iran even as President Donald Trump urged oil-hungry nations to storm the vital chokepoint and secure it themselves.
The strait — a linchpin for global oil trade — remains effectively sealed by Tehran in reprisal for the US-Israeli assaults. Trump pressed oil-dependent countries to intervene decisively, stating they should “take care of that passage”. “Just take it, protect it, use it for yourselves,” he remarked.
Beijing, heavily reliant on Hormuz shipments for its energy needs, pointed fingers squarely at Washington and Jerusalem. “The root cause of interrupt
ions to navigation through the Strait of Hormuz is the United States and Israel’s illegal military operations against Iran,” AFP reported, quoting Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning at a briefing.
Trump, whose approval ratings have slid amid the escalating war, projected optimism in a TV address, insisting the fight was close to resolution. Yet he cautioned of prolonged bombardment — “two to three weeks” of heavy strikes that would “bring (Iran) back to the Stone Ages” — if no deal is hammered out with Tehran. Potential strikes could target Iran’s electricity generating plants, he added.
Mao dismissed such rhetoric, telling journalists that “military means cannot fundamentally solve the problem, and the escalation of conflicts is not in the interests of either side.”
As Iran’s top oil customer, China feels the pinch acutely, with most purchases transiting the strait. The shutdown has propelled Brent crude, the global benchmark, to approximately $100 per barrel—a 40-50% leap since the February 28 onslaught, followed by Iran’s counter-strikes on Gulf oil infrastructure.