China’s permanent representative to the United Nations, Fu Cong, called during a Security Council session today, August 13, for freedom of navigation to be guaranteed and the security of the Strait of Hormuz to be maintained, as shipping traffic declined sharply and tensions between Iran and the United States escalated over control of the waterway.
Call for de-escalation
The Chinese call came during a session devoted to discussing the situation in the Middle East, amid international concern over the navigation crisis in the strait and its potential repercussions for global trade and energy supplies.
Fu Cong’s position extends Beijing’s calls for the restoration of safe and free navigation, de-escalation and a return to the diplomatic track. The Chinese envoy said last May that reopening the strait should be a priority, warning of the consequences for energy markets and the global economy of keeping it closed.
China has also previously described navigation security in the Strait of Hormuz as a shared interest of the international community, and called for the restoration of peace and stability in the region, the protection of the security of the Gulf states, and respect for their sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Sharp decline in shipping traffic
The Chinese position coincided with a sharp decline in shipping traffic, as shipping data showed that the number of vessels tracked in the strait on Tuesday had fallen to 8, the lowest level in a week, with shipowners avoiding the passage because of security risks, Reuters reported.
Iranian-American dispute over control
The Strait of Hormuz is “under Iran’s control and administration.”
Taeb made the statement earlier today in response to U.S. President Donald Trump’s announcement a day earlier that the United States now had “full control” of the strategic waterway, according to Reuters.
Taeb accused the United States of seeking to undermine what he described as Iran’s popularity in the region by launching a new war in the Strait of Hormuz. He said Washington had suffered another defeat despite its previous statements that Iran lacked air or naval power, according to Iran’s Fars News Agency.
Iran insists it will not reopen the strait unless the United States meets its conditions, while Washington continues to call for freedom of navigation to be guaranteed.
