China calls US blockade of Iran ports 'dangerous and irresponsible'
· CNA · JoinRead a summary of this article on FAST.
Get bite-sized news via a new
cards interface. Give it a try.
Click here to return to FAST Tap here to return to FAST
FAST
BEIJING: China said on Tuesday (Apr 14) that a US blockade around Iranian ports was "dangerous and irresponsible", after US President Donald Trump threatened to sink any boats that sought to leave or dock there.
Trump had ordered the blockade of ships entering or leaving Iranian ports and coastal areas in the Gulf following the failure of peace talks over the weekend.
The blockade came into force at 2pm GMT (10pm, Singapore time) on Monday, despite the United States and Iran agreeing to a two-week ceasefire days earlier.
"The US increased military deployments and took a targeted blockade action, which will only exacerbate tensions and undermine the already fragile ceasefire agreement and further jeopardise safety of passage through the Strait (of Hormuz)," Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun told a news conference.
CNA Games
Guess Word
Crack the word, one row at a time
Buzzword
Create words using the given letters
Mini Sudoku
Tiny puzzle, mighty brain teaser
Mini Crossword
Small grid, big challenge
Word Search
Spot as many words as you can
Show More
Show Less
"This is dangerous and irresponsible behaviour," he added.
Iran had already closed the vital Strait of Hormuz to what it regards as enemy shipping, allowing only vessels serving countries it deems friendly - such as China - to cross.
Trump's blockade, analysts say, aims to starve Iran of funds and pressure Beijing, the biggest buyer of Iranian oil, to lean Tehran to open the strait, through which one-fifth of global oil transits.
Tehran's ambassador to the United Nations called Trump's blockade a "grave violation" of Iran's sovereignty.
Chinese President Xi Jinping urged respect earlier on Tuesday for the sovereignty of nations in the Gulf and Middle East, saying Beijing would continue to play a "constructive role" in promoting peace talks.
Xi made the comments as he met with Abu Dhabi Prince Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan in Beijing, one of several leaders of countries impacted by the war to visit China over the issue.
Newsletter
Week in Review
Subscribe to our Chief Editor’s Week in Review
Our chief editor shares analysis and picks of the week's biggest news every Saturday.
Newsletter
Morning Brief
Subscribe to CNA’s Morning Brief
An automated curation of our top stories to start your day.
Sign up for our newsletters
Get our pick of top stories and thought-provoking articles in your inbox
Get the CNA app
Stay updated with notifications for breaking news and our best stories
Get WhatsApp alerts
Join our channel for the top reads for the day on your preferred chat app