China Counts On Safe Passage Guarantees For Vessels In Persian Gulf - Foreign Ministry

China counts on all parties concerned to joint efforts in ensuring safe passage of vessels, including China-owned, via the Strait of Hormuz amid escalating tensions in the Persian Gulf, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said at a briefing on Friday

BEIJING (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 19th July, 2019) China counts on all parties concerned to joint efforts in ensuring safe passage of vessels, including China-owned, via the Strait of Hormuz amid escalating tensions in the Persian Gulf, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said at a briefing on Friday.

Last week, the United States said it would consider creating an international coalition to protect maritime ways off Iranian and Yemeni coasts amid recent attacks on oil tankers in the area and escalating US-Iranian tensions. On Thursday, US media reported citing defense officials that the Pentagon was preparing to send hundreds of additional servicemen to Saudi Arabia in a bid to shore up the kingdom's defenses amid rising tensions with Iran.

"We noted the relevant reports, but we do not have details yet. The Persian Gulf region has a great significance for secure international energy supplies, global security and stability. We hope that all parties concerned will jointly ensure safe passage [of vessels] in the relevant strait, the regional peace and stability," Geng said.

He also stressed the importance of safety guarantees for the Chinese vessels.

The security situation in the Persian Gulf and adjacent areas has been steadily worsening over the past few months.

In May, four oil tankers were targeted in sabotage attacks off the UAE coast. In June, two more oil tankers were hit by explosions in the Strait of Hormuz, which connects the Gulf of Oman with the Persian Gulf. The United States blamed Iran for the incidents and started building up its military presence in the Gulf. According to the Pentagon, an aircraft carrier strike group, Patriot missiles, B-52 bombers, F-15 fighters and the USS Mason destroyer were ordered to the region.

Shortly after, the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps claimed to have downed a US surveillance drone in its airspace over the coastal Hormozgan province. The US Central Command has, in turn, said that the drone was operating and shot down in international airspace over the Strait of Hormuz. Following the incident, US President Donald Trump said the United States was ready for retaliatory strikes on Iran before later calling them off, claiming they would have been "disproportionate."

Earlier this week, media reported a UK vessel being detained by Iran in the Strait of Hormuz after Iran's tanker was seized in Gibraltar a week earlier. Iran refuted all allegations.