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By Micah McCartney
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China’s Foreign Ministry has stepped up its criticism of attacks on commercial shipping as Iranian forces continue to target vessels operating in or near the Strait of Hormuz, conduit for as much as a quarter of global shipborne oil.
“China does not agree with the attacks on Gulf states and condemns all indiscriminate attacks on civilians and non‑military targets,” ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said during Friday's regular press briefing, without calling out Iran by name.
Newsweek has reached out to the Chinese Embassy in Tehran and Iran’s Foreign Ministry by email for comment.
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Why It Matters
The remarks mark a shift in rhetoric toward Tehran, now led by Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, son of former Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, who was killed early in a strike on February 28, launched amid ongoing negotiations with Tehran over its nuclear program.
China, a key diplomatic partner and the buyer of most of Iran's crude oil, has repeatedly condemned the ongoing U.S.-Israeli offensive, which Iranian officials say have killed more than 1,300, including over 160 in a strike on a girls' school in Minab.
Beijing also voiced concerns as the conflict expanded to include Iranian missile and drone attacks against targets in neighboring Gulf states and Tehran's move to block the Strait of Hormuz.
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What To Know
All parties must immediately end military operations, prevent the conflict from expanding further, and return to dialogue and negotiation, Guo told reporters.
"The fundamental solution is to jointly return to the right track of abiding by international law and the basic norms of international relations," he said.
Iran is believed to be responsible for at least 18 strikes on civilian vessels in the Persian Gulf, Strait of Hormuz and Gulf of Oman, according to tallies by the Institute for the Study of War and the American Enterprise Institute.
Several vessels, including oil tankers, have been hit this week, reportedly by unidentified projectiles or bomb-laden "suicide boats."
President Donald Trump has played down the risk to shipping, telling reporters Wednesday the strait was in "great shape" and that Iran has "some missiles, but not very many."
Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps has warned it would not allow "a single liter of oil" through the strait that would benefit the U.S., Israel, or their allies.
What People Are Saying
Evan Feigenbaum, a former senior State Department official during the administration of former President George W. Bush, wrote in an X post: "Beijing has a diversified portfolio of partners and interests, has never put all its eggs in the Iran basket, and has a parochial self interest in what the region, not just Iran, looks like on the other side of this mess.
"It's an ecumenical general condemnation but notably refers to Gulf countries in the plural, so it's implicitly inclusive of Iran. They [China] will never single out Iran for condemnation in that way. The point is, they have a stake in the region and what happens regionally, not just Tehran."
Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi wrote on X late Thursday: "Factual knowledge matters. Case 1: Iran's proposal to ensure NO NUCLEAR WEAPONS was dismissed because U.S. counterparts didn't grasp the technical details. Case 2: Americans won't "make money" from surging oil prices and tariffs. They enrich corporations and crush households."
What Happens Next
China has so far avoided condemning Iran outright and on Wednesday joined Russian in abstaining from a United Nations Security Council resolution to condemn Iran's "egregious" attacks" against its neighbors.
While a handful of ships are transiting the Strait of Hormuz each day, traffic is likely to remain at a trickle until hostilities ease, amid the risk of attack and the resulting spike in insurance premiums.
The Trump administration and French President Emmanuel Macron have said they may deploy naval vessels to escort commercial shipping through the strait, though neither has specified the timing or scope of such missions.
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