China defies Trump and sails tanker through Strait of Hormuz blockade in show of force

China defies Trump and sails tanker through Strait of Hormuz blockade in show of forceChina openly defies America's blockade of the Strait of Hormuz as Beijing warns Trump "not to meddle" in Its business with IranCommentsNewsChristopher Bucktin United States Editor11:27, 14 Apr 2026Updated 11:34, 14 Apr 2026View 4 ImagesTrump and Xi Jinping together: The two most powerful men on earth now at loggerheads(Image: (Image: AP))Tensions in the Middle East have risen dramatically after China warned Donald Trump “not to meddle” in its business with Iran after Donald Trump blocked the Strait of Hormuz. In a direct show of force, Beijing then sailed a tanker through the vital waterway without the US Navy intervening.‌China threw its full weight behind Tehran in response to the US president’s controversial stopping of vessels in the vital waterway. Since the warning to Trump, a sanctioned Chinese tanker brazenly sailed through the contested waterway in a direct challenge to American authority.‌The dramatic diplomatic confrontation unfolded as Beijing condemned the blockade as "reckless" and sent what observers described as its most forceful signal yet that it intends to continue trading with Tehran regardless of Washington's actions. China's Defence Minister Dong Jun delivered a searing broadside at the US, making clear that Beijing will not bow to American pressure over its economic and energy ties with Iran.‌View 4 ImagesChina’s sanctioned Rich Starry has passed safely through the Strait of Hormuz(Image: Maritime Optima)OPINIONChristopher Bucktin'Warmonger Benjamin Netanyahu is continuing his Lebanon bloodbath to save himself'Benjamin Netanyahu