“The root cause of the disruption to navigation in the strait lies in the war in Iran… all parties should remain calm and exercise restraint.” With this strong message, China has pushed back against Donald Trump’s naval blockade threat in the Strait of Hormuz. Beijing called for an immediate ceasefire and urged both the U.S. and Iran to avoid escalation, stressing that global trade and energy security depend on stability in the Gulf. While positioning itself as a mediator, China also rejected allegations of arming Iran, calling such claims “unfounded.”