China calls for comprehensive ceasefire and reopening of Strait of Hormuz

On Friday, the Chinese Foreign Ministry announced its demand to put an end to the war in the Middle East, stressing the need to establish a comprehensive and lasting ceasefire as soon as possible, following talks between Chinese President Xi Jinping and US President Donald Trump in Beijing. "The sea lanes should be reopened as soon as possible in response to the pleas of the international community," the statement issued by the Chinese Foreign Ministry said. Stressing that “a comprehensive and durable ceasefire is imperative to facilitate the restoration of peace and stability in the Middle East and Gulf regions.” The Chinese statement stressed that "the continuation of this war, which should not have started in the first place, does not find any justification," in a clear reference to the ongoing conflict in the region. Presidents Xi and Trump discussed developments in the Middle East during their inaugural round of talks on On Thursday, Trump told Fox News that his Chinese counterpart had made an offer to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz, while pledging to refrain from sending military equipment to support Iran. In the same context, the IRGC announced, in conjunction with the summit in Beijing, that Iranian naval forces allowed Chinese ships to transit through the strategic Strait of Hormuz as of Wednesday evening, based on prior coordination between the capitals of Beijing and Tehran. It is noteworthy that Iran has imposed severe restrictions on navigation in this vital strait for global energy supplies, since the outbreak of the US-Israeli war on 28 February.