Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and his Russian counterpart, Sergey Lavrov, agreed in a phone call on Sunday to “uphold fairness on matters of principle and adopt an objective and balanced approach” as permanent members of the UN Security Council while discussing the impending vote on a draft resolution on the opening of the Strait of Hormuz.
Wang said Moscow and Beijing should also “strive to gain greater understanding and support from the international community,” according to a statement from China’s Foreign Ministry.
Earlier this week, Bahrain submitted a draft resolution to the UN Security Council over Iran’s effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz to international navigation. The vote is expected next week. Wang on Thursday urged the council not to support “unauthorized” military operations in the Middle East, warning that continued conflict could lead to “endless trouble.”
The strait, which connects Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Kuwait, Qatar, Iraq, and Iran to global markets, handles roughly 25% of global oil trade, about 20% of liquefied natural gas trade, and nearly 30% of fertilizer trade.
Around 45% of China’s oil imports and 20% of its LNG imports reach the country via the Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz.
Wang said the “fundamental solution” to resolve navigation issues in the Strait of Hormuz is to “achieve a ceasefire as soon as possible.”
“China has consistently advocated for the political resolution of international and regional hotspot issues through dialogue and negotiation,” he added.
He also expressed Beijing’s willingness to continue cooperating with Russia at the UN Security Council, maintaining prompt communication on major issues, and making efforts to de-escalate the situation and protect regional peace and stability, as well as global security.
Lavrov, for his part, said regarding the ongoing conflict in the Middle East and the situation in the Strait of Hormuz that “military actions must cease immediately and that the parties should return to the political and diplomatic track to address the root causes of the conflict.”
The UN Security Council should play a “constructive role in this regard,” he added.
Strengthening Russian-Chinese cooperation in various international forums, particularly at the UN, was also discussed, according to a statement from the Russian Foreign Ministry.
Satisfaction was also expressed over Russia and China’s alignment on approaches on most issues on the global agenda, “including the situation surrounding Iran, which is related to the unprovoked aggression of the US and Israel against that country.”
Hostilities in the region have escalated since the US and Israel launched a joint offensive on Iran on Feb. 28, killing over 1,340 people to date, including the then-supreme leader, Ali Khamenei.
Tehran has retaliated with drone and missile strikes targeting Israel, as well as Jordan, Iraq, and Gulf countries hosting US military assets. Iran has also restricted the movement of ships through the Strait of Hormuz.
