Beijing, China - Amid this week's summit in Beijing, China on Friday called for a lasting truce between the US, Israel, and Iran and for the Strait of Hormuz to be reopened "as soon as possible."
In an interview with Fox News, President Donald Trump confirmed that Chinese President Xi Jinping has effectively assured him that China is not preparing to send further military aid to Tehran, or step in with its own military.
"He said he's not going to give military equipment… he said that strongly," Trump told Fox. "He'd like to see the Hormuz Strait open, and said 'if I can be of any help whatsoever, I would like to help.'"
When asked what Xi and Trump discussed regarding the war in Iran, China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) on Friday said Xi had expressed hope for a lasting ceasefire "as soon as possible" to restore peace and stability in the Middle East.
"It is important to reopen the shipping lanes as soon as possible to respond to the call of the international community and jointly keep the global supply chains stable and unimpeded," a Chinese MFA spokesperson said.
"There is no point in continuing this conflict which should not have happened in the first place. To find an early way to resolve the situation is in the interest of not only the US and Iran, but also regional countries and the rest of the world."
Tehran has largely blocked shipping through the Strait of Hormuz since the US and Israel began their bombardment of Iranian cities on February 28.
The strait's blockage has rattled global markets and given Tehran significant leverage, spiraling oil prices and leading to major shortages of crucial supplies of natural gas and fertilizers.