China Presses Iran And US To End Fighting, Reopen Strait Of Hormuz In Beijing Talks

China pressed for an end to fighting and for the Strait of Hormuz to reopen as Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi met Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Beijing. Al Jazeera reported that Wang called for Iran and the US to reopen the strait “as soon as possible,” while also saying China considers “a complete cessation of fighting must be achieved without delay.” CNN tied the diplomatic push to the wider regional shift after President Donald Trump said the US would temporarily pause “Project Freedom” while maintaining its blockade of Iranian ports. Reuters coverage in the same reporting stream said Araghchi arrived in Beijing ahead of scheduled talks with Wang Yi, framing the visit as part of bilateral discussions and regional developments.

“Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has met his Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi, in Beijing as tensions with the United States mount over the Strait of Hormuz”

Al Jazeera

In a statement carried by Free Malaysia Today, China said it considers “a complete cessation of fighting must be achieved without delay” and called it “even more unacceptable to restart hostilities.” The same report said China hoped the parties would respond to an “urgent call of the international community” for a “normal and safe resumption of maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz.” Fox News reported that U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio directly challenged both “the Chinese and the Russians” and said it was in their interest for a UN resolution to pass. The Al Jazeera account also described the meeting as an opportunity for Iran to seek continued economic and diplomatic support from Beijing ahead of Trump’s Beijing summit.

The CNN live updates linked the Hormuz diplomacy to market moves, saying Brent crude slid 8% to $101 a barrel and WTI plunged 9.2% to $92.8 a barrel after Trump hailed “great progress” in talks with Iran. CNBC said China urged an “immediate end to the hostilities” and called for a “prompt resumption of shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz,” positioning the Beijing outreach as part of efforts to cement China’s role ahead of Trump’s scheduled visit. Al Jazeera reported that Araghchi’s trip marked his first visit to China since the war began on February 28, and it said the meeting came a week before Trump’s visit to Beijing for a summit with Xi Jinping on May 14 and 15. In the same reporting, Al Jazeera said the US imposed its own blockade on Iranian ports after a ceasefire in April, setting the context for why reopening the strait remained central to the negotiations.

“China pressed Iran on Wednesday to pursue a diplomatic resolution to the Middle East conflict and refrain from resuming hostilities, as Beijing seeks to cement its position as a key mediator ahead of a high-stakes summit with the U”

CNBC