Beijing condemns 'irresponsible and dangerous' US bid to halt cargo as Chinese tankers run the blockade

By ANDREW JEHRING, CHIEF FOREIGN CORRESPONDENT Published: 00:04, 15 April 2026 | Updated: 00:05, 15 April 2026 China condemned Donald Trump's 'dangerous and irresponsible' blockade of Iranian ports yesterday, as it risked dragging Beijing into the war. One vessel from China and another headed towards it passed through the Strait of Hormuz sparking fears the People's Republic was testing Washington's resolve. The US President had ordered his navy to intercept any ship attempting to enter or leave Iranian ports. However, neither the US-sanctioned oil tanker Rich Starry, which has ties to China despite being falsely registered in Malawi, or the China-linked Murlikishan stopped in Iran – meaning they didn't breach the blockade. At least two other ships from other countries which did stop at ports in the Islamic Republic – including a Comoros-flagged oil tanker named the Elpis and the Liberian-flagged Christianna – appeared to evade the US Navy, but were reportedly turned back last night. It came as Saudi Arabia, one of the US's most important regional allies, pressed Mr Trump to drop the siege and return to talks. Iran's embassy in Ghana had gleefully boasted on X that America's 'big beautiful ships' had 'issued repeated warnings' to one vessel but it 'just sailed through'. Another Islamic Republic account posted: 'The Strait of Hormuz isn't social media. If someone blocks you, you can't just block them back.' However, the US Central Command said six merchant vessels had been asked to turn around and complied. Risking escalation rising, China's President Xi Jinping took a thinly veiled swipe at Mr Trump, warning the world cannot risk reverting 'to the law of the jungle'. The US-sanctioned oil tanker Rich Starry (pictured) has ties to China despite being falsely registered in Malawi Two vessels, including the China-linked Rich Starry, passed through the Strait of Hormuz before turning back around 'Maintaining the authority of international rule of law means not using it when it suits us and abandoning it when it doesn't,' he said in a meeting with the crown prince of Abu Dhabi in Beijing. Mr Xi's remarks are his most direct yet on the war and signal growing frustration. Iranian oil constitutes around 13 per cent of China's seaborne imports and Tehran has tried to keep the flow up despite shutting the Strait of Hormuz to 'enemies'. The US retaliated by bringing in its own blockade to try to force concessions from the regime when peace talks in Pakistan collapsed after 21 hours on Saturday. China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Lin Jian yesterday labelled the US chokehold 'dangerous and irresponsible'. 'We urge relevant parties to honour the ceasefire agreement, stick to the direction of peace talks and take concrete actions to de-escalate the situation,' he said.  Saudi Arabia also fears the chokehold could see the Houthis, Iran's proxy in Yemen, close down the Bab al-Mandeb – a Red Sea chokepoint crucial for the kingdom's remaining oil exports.  Meanwhile, on Friday a group of European leaders are set to have another meeting, in Paris co-hosted by Sir Keir Starmer and Emmanuel Macron. After negotiations failed, Trump organised a naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz (pictured in March), a narrow waterway through which one-fifth of the world's oil passes A Downing Street spokesman said: 'The summit will advance work towards a coordinated, independent, multinational plan to safeguard international shipping once the conflict ends.' In a glimmer of hope, the Iranian leadership is considering a short-term pause to shipments through the Strait to avoid pushing the limits of the US, says Bloomberg. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian also confirmed his country's readiness to resume peace talks on a call with Mr Macron yesterday. But he said that threats, pressure and military action are 'unhelpful' and will worsen the US's 'self-created problems', according to Iranian media. Washington and Tehran are being pushed by intermediaries to return to negotiations with hope talks could resume in Islamabad as early as tomorrow. Officials from Pakistan have told the Mail both sides came close to an agreement on Saturday night. A source said: 'There was a point where it looked like something positive could come of it. No comments have so far been submitted. Why not be the first to send us your thoughts, or debate this issue live on our message boards. By posting your comment you agree to our house rules. 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