China Demands De-Blockade of Strait of Hormuz Amid Escalating U.S.-Iran Conflict
Chinese Foreign Ministry Speaker Mao Ning at a press conference on March 3, 2026 condemned the use of force without a UNSC mandate, calling the US and Israeli strikes a violation of international law leading to the “law of the jungle” in world politics.
Threat to the global energy mix
China believes that the closure of the Strait of Hormuz due to military action threatens to destabilize the global oil and gas market.
The Strait of Hormuz is the bottle neck of the global economy, through which about 20 percent of the world’s oil supply and one-third of the world’s liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports pass.
For China, which imports more than 80% of Iranian oil through this route (about 13.5% of China’s total maritime imports), any tanker delay poses a direct threat to national energy security.
The situation has worsened after reports of the suspension of operations at Qatar’s largest LNG plant, Ras Laffan, due to drone attacks, which has already led to a spike in energy prices in Asia and Europe.
Red Line Diplomacy
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, in emergency telephone consultations with counterparts from Iran, France and Oman, emphasized that maintaining stability of supply is the responsibility of all parties involved.
Beijing sent a clear message to Tehran: while upholding Iran’s sovereignty, China insists on respecting “legitimate interests of neighbors” and not blocking international trade routes.
In this way, analysts believe that China has firmly stated its position not only on the conflict itself and the “law of the jungle” in international politics, but also on the unacceptability of crossing “red lines” in destabilizing energy markets.
Market Reaction and Risks
As of March 3, more than 150 tankers had congregated in the Strait area awaiting clarification of the security situation. Global Brent crude oil prices have already shown a rise of almost 17%, reaching highs since the beginning of 2025 at around $83 per barrel.
Analysts note that Beijing is trying to balance: while condemning Washington’s actions, the PRC cannot allow the collapse of supplies from the region, which is the foundation of its economic growth.
Experts expect that in the coming days China may propose a format for mediation talks to prevent a full-scale blockade of the strait.
