China Warns US That Strait of Hormuz "Is Open to Us," Calls Blockade "Dangerous and Irresponsible"

Chinese Defense Minister Dong Jun delivers a pointed warning as the US naval blockade takes effect, declaring the Strait of Hormuz "open to us" and calling the blockade a "dangerous and irresponsible act" — as China, the world's largest buyer of Iranian crude, faces direct disruption to 90% of its Iranian oil supply.

As the US naval blockade of Iranian ports took effect on April 13-14, China issued its sharpest direct warning to Washington since the war began. Defense Minister Dong Jun stated: "We have trade and energy agreements with Iran; we expect others not to interfere in our affairs. The Strait of Hormuz is open to us." China's foreign ministry called the blockade "dangerous and irresponsible" and urged the US to lift it immediately. The stakes for Beijing were existential: China had been purchasing up to 90% of Iran's seaborne crude, equivalent to more than 500 million barrels in the previous year, routed through a shadow fleet of vessels using false flags, spoofed transponders, and ship-to-ship transfers off Malaysia. Chinese customs records showed zero imports from Iran, yet "Malaysian" crude imports reached 1.3 million barrels per day in 2025 — more than double Malaysia's entire production. A Chinese-owned tanker was tracked attempting to slip through the strait in the blockade's first hours. Beijing also condemned the broader war: Premier Li Qiang said China was ready to "play a constructive role" in peace, while Foreign Policy reported that China was quietly softening its approach to the Iran conflict — walking back from full diplomatic support for Tehran toward a more mediatory posture — as the economic costs of alignment mounted.