China’s top diplomat met with Iran’s foreign minister on Wednesday and called for greater efforts to open the Strait of Hormuz and for an end to the war, after the Trump administration pressed Beijing to help end Tehran’s chokehold over the waterway.
Meeting in Beijing with his Iranian counterpart, Abbas Araghchi, Foreign Minister Wang Yi of China said that stopping the war was a matter of urgency, according to an official summary of their meeting issued by Xinhua, China’s main state news agency.
While Mr. Wang was careful not to blame Iran for the crisis over the strait — a shipping route vital for global oil, natural gas and other cargo — he emphasized China’s concerns about the blockade. The standoff over the route has sent oil prices to new highs, with broader global economic shocks.
“China believes that a comprehensive cessation of hostilities should not be delayed, any reigniting of hostilities is even less desirable, and sticking to negotiations is particularly important,” Mr. Wang said in the talks, according to the Xinhua summary.
Mr. Wang said that the “international community shares a common concern for restoring normal, safe passage” through the Strait of Hormuz, and that China “hopes the parties concerned will respond to the strong calls from the international community” over reopening the strait.
Mr. Araghchi is the first senior Iranian official to visit China since the United States and Israel’s war with Iran broke out in late February. His meeting with Mr. Wang was another step in Beijing’s measured efforts to encourage an end to the war, while seeking to avoid being entangled in the conflict.
