China, Iran hold talks to discuss opening of Strait of Hormuz

China's foreign minister Wang Yi on Wednesday held talks with Iran’s foreign minister Abbas Araghchi in Beijing, as pressure mounts on Tehran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz to global shipping and move toward a deal with the United States to end the conflict.

Araghchi’s one-day visit — his first to China since the outbreak of the US-Iran war — comes just days before US President Donald Trump is scheduled to visit Beijing on 14–15 May for talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping, where a potential trade agreement and the West Asia situation are expected to feature prominently.

Chinese state media said the two sides discussed the escalating situation triggered by the US blockade of Iranian ports, imposed to pressure Tehran into lifting its own restrictions in the Strait of Hormuz — a vital corridor that carries over 20 per cent of global oil and gas supplies.

China, Iran’s largest crude oil buyer and a key strategic partner, has significant stakes in ensuring stability in the waterway. Beijing has also been critical of Washington’s blockade, warning that it risks further destabilising global energy markets.

The visit comes a day after US secretary of state Marco Rubio announced that “Operation Epic Fury” — a major US-Israeli military campaign launched on 28 February — had concluded after achieving its objectives.

Rubio has urged China to use its influence with Tehran. “I hope the Chinese tell him what he needs to be told — what you are doing in the Strait is causing you to be globally isolated,” he said, according to media reports. Calling Iran “the bad guy” in the standoff, Rubio added that China’s export-driven economy is particularly vulnerable to disruptions in Hormuz.

“It is in China’s interest that Iran stop closing the Strait,” he said, noting that while many countries want to help reopen the route, not all are in a position to do so.

With both Washington and Beijing keen to avoid further escalation ahead of Trump’s visit, diplomatic efforts have intensified. China is also reported to be working through regional intermediaries, including Pakistan, to help ease tensions and bring the US and Iran closer to a negotiated settlement.

At the same time, the US blockade of Iranian ports has added pressure on Beijing to secure alternative energy supplies, underlining the high economic stakes driving China’s engagement with Tehran.

The Beijing talks signal a delicate balancing act for China — maintaining its strategic ties with Iran while quietly encouraging de-escalation to safeguard global trade and energy flows.

With PTI inputs