BEIJING — China on Tuesday urged the US and Iran to avoid returning to war after Washington announced that it would reimpose a blockade on Iranian ports in the Strait of Hormuz.“China is deeply concerned over resumed military conflict in the Gulf region,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian told reporters in Beijing.Lin urged the relevant parties to “heed strong call for peace and stability in the region, remain calm, exercise restraint, safeguard hard-won ceasefire, avoid return of war.”“More importantly,” Lin stressed the US and Iran should “prevent fighting from spreading and hurting more innocent people.”“Respect for the lawful rights and interests of the coastal countries of the Strait of Hormuz, and an early resumption of normal and safe passage in the strait, is what the international community wants to see,” he added.“The relevant parties need to work in same direction and see proper settlement,” said the spokesman, while responding to media queries regarding the US order to reinstate a naval blockade on Iran in the Strait of Hormuz.On Tuesday local time, the US Central Command said that the US has completed the latest wave of strikes against Iran at 10:15 pm ET on July 13. The latest US military actions came hours after US President Donald Trump ordered to resume a blockade on Iran in the Strait of Hormuz Tuesday at 4 pm ET, and floated a 20 percent toll charge for ships going through the world critical energy waterway.China stands ready to continue making unremitting efforts to de-escalate and stabilize the situation in the Middle East and the Gulf region, Lin said. China’s statement came as the US and Iran continued military strikes, with the conflict seeing fresh escalation amid attacks on vessels in Strait of Hormuz.In his daily press briefing, Lin also called the European Union to be cautious in its words and deeds on the South China Sea and stop endorsing the “illegal ruling” to prevent impact on China-EU ties and cooperation.”Europe is not a party to the South China Sea issue and has no right to comment on China’s legitimate territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests in the South China Sea,” Lin said. The comments came after a joint statement issued on Sunday by countries including some European nations said China’s expansive maritime claims in the South China Sea have no legal basis, followed by a relevant statement from the EU.China has also summoned officials of the embassies of relevant countries in China and the EU delegation to China and lodged serious representations with them, Lin said.BEIJING — China on Tuesday urged the US and Iran to avoid returning to war after Washington announced that it would reimpose a blockade on Iranian ports in the Strait of Hormuz.“China is deeply concerned over resumed military conflict in the Gulf region,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian told reporters in Beijing.Lin urged the relevant parties to “heed strong call for peace and stability in the region, remain calm, exercise restraint, safeguard hard-won ceasefire, avoid return of war.”“More importantly,” Lin stressed the US and Iran should “prevent fighting from spreading and hurting more innocent people.”“Respect for the lawful rights and interests of the coastal countries of the Strait of Hormuz, and an early resumption of normal and safe passage in the strait, is what the international community wants to see,” he added.“The relevant parties need to work in same direction and see proper settlement,” said the spokesman, while responding to media queries regarding the US order to reinstate a naval blockade on Iran in the Strait of Hormuz.On Tuesday local time, the US Central Command said that the US has completed the latest wave of strikes against Iran at 10:15 pm ET on July 13. The latest US military actions came hours after US President Donald Trump ordered to resume a blockade on Iran in the Strait of Hormuz Tuesday at 4 pm ET, and floated a 20 percent toll charge for ships going through the world critical energy waterway.China stands ready to continue making unremitting efforts to de-escalate and stabilize the situation in the Middle East and the Gulf region, Lin said. China’s statement came as the US and Iran continued military strikes, with the conflict seeing fresh escalation amid attacks on vessels in Strait of Hormuz.In his daily press briefing, Lin also called the European Union to be cautious in its words and deeds on the South China Sea and stop endorsing the “illegal ruling” to prevent impact on China-EU ties and cooperation.”Europe is not a party to the South China Sea issue and has no right to comment on China’s legitimate territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests in the South China Sea,” Lin said. The comments came after a joint statement issued on Sunday by countries including some European nations said China’s expansive maritime claims in the South China Sea have no legal basis, followed by a relevant statement from the EU.China has also summoned officials of the embassies of relevant countries in China and the EU delegation to China and lodged serious representations with them, Lin said.
