US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Thursday that China had a major interest in reopening the Strait of Hormuz and that he believed Beijing would do "everything possible" to restore traffic in this strategic waterway.
In an interview with CNBC, Scott Bessent suggested that Chinese authorities could exert discreet influence on Iran to encourage de-escalation. He believes Beijing understands the global economic consequences of a prolonged closure of the Strait.
The Strait of Hormuz is one of the main transit points for global oil trade. Any disruption to this maritime route has immediate repercussions on international energy markets and on economies heavily dependent on hydrocarbon imports.
Scott Bessent emphasized that China had "every interest" in seeing this maritime route reopened quickly. Beijing remains one of the world's largest oil importers and is heavily dependent on energy supplies from the Middle East.
The US official's remarks come as regional tensions related to the Iran-Iraq War continue to worry markets and governments. Disruptions in the region have already contributed to higher oil prices and growing concerns about the stability of global supply chains.
Washington thus appears to hope that China can play an indirect diplomatic role with Iranian leaders. Beijing maintains significant economic and strategic ties with Tehran, which could allow it to exert some influence in behind-the-scenes discussions.
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