Chinese President Contacts Saudi Crown Prince: Strait of Hormuz Must Be Secured

Chinese state media reported that President Xi Jinping spoke with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman over the phone, stressing the “necessity of maintaining normal transit in the Strait of Hormuz.”

According to the report, Xi said that restoring security and ensuring smooth passage through the Strait of Hormuz is in the shared interest of both regional countries and the global community.

Reuters, citing the same report, said Beijing is moving quickly to prevent tensions from escalating in one of the world’s most critical energy routes.

Earlier on Monday, April 20, 2026, the Chinese government also urged the Islamic Republic to show restraint following the seizure of its ship by the U.S. military.

Reuters reported that China’s Foreign Ministry described the U.S. move to seize the Iranian-flagged vessel as a “forced seizure” and called on the Islamic Republic to avoid steps that could worsen the situation and instead continue diplomatic engagement.

Xi’s remarks, which came just hours after the Foreign Ministry’s statement, underline China’s concern about how rising tensions in the region could affect the global economy, especially given that China is one of the biggest importers of energy from the Persian Gulf.