The crude oil tanker Odessa, carrying UAE crude after passing through the Strait of Hormuz with its Automatic Identification System transponder turned off, navigates the waters at Daesan port, where it is expected to discharge crude oil, in Seosan, South Korea, May 8, 2026. REUTERS/Kim Soo-hyeon
By Bloomberg News
Jul 3, 2026 (Bloomberg) –China called for the unhindered flow of shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, comments that come as leading European powers are apparently accepting that vessels will have to pay fees to Iran and Oman.
“Resuming safe and unimpeded passage in the strait at an early date serves the interests of all parties,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun said at a regular press briefing in Beijing on Friday.
“A proper settlement is needed to address disruption at the Strait of Hormuz, and the shared concerns in the international community need a proper response,” Guo added.
Read More: European Nations Now Believe Some Hormuz Fees Are Inevitable
Bloomberg News reported earlier that people familiar with the thinking in Europe described the prospect of some sort of service fee in the aftermath of the US and Israeli war with Iran as a given.
Privately, some Gulf Arab officials hold the same view, though this is not necessarily the formal position of their governments, said the people, who asked not to be identified discussing private deliberations.
It is unclear what type or amount of fees any nation would be willing to accept. The US and Gulf Arab countries continue to insist Iran and Oman cannot impose charges of any kind for Hormuz. Their concerns include the risk it creates a precedent for other countries to impose fees on different waterways.
In March, Beijing called on parties to the fighting to ensure the safe passage of ships through the Strait of Hormuz.
As the world’s largest oil and gas importer, China is among the countries most exposed to tensions in the Middle East. The Asian nation depends on the wider Persian Gulf region for both oil and gas supplies, and cargoes of both require transit through the narrow Hormuz waterway.
Read More: China’s Private Refiners Snap Up Middle East Oil as Prices Slide
© 2026 Bloomberg L.P.
This article contains reporting from Bloomberg, published under license.
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Iran has begun talks with Japanese companies under a U.S. sanctions waiver allowing it to resume oil sales, though prospective buyers are seeking a longer waiver and reassurances about ship safety, three Iranian and Western sources said.
Commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz has surged over the past few weeks, with American military support helping boost oil flows to more than 10 million barrels per day, a US official said.
The U.S. and Iran held indirect technical talks in Doha on Wednesday as they seek to agree on the flow of shipping through the Strait of Hormuz and secure a lasting ceasefire, a source with direct knowledge of the talks and an Iranian official said.
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