China's Defense Minister signals strategic shift on Hormuz Strait. Dong Jun stated Chinese vessels transit the waterway with Iranian permission, signaling Beijing's implicit support for Tehran's control of this critical chokepoint. The remarks, delivered in unusually informal language, represent China's first explicit warning against potential US naval blockades in the region. With approximately 18 Chinese vessels already transiting the Strait during recent Middle East tensions, China is demonstrating its commitment to honoring energy agreements with Iran while challenging Washington's influence. Experts interpret this as a calculated diplomatic move testing international response to Beijing's more assertive stance on Middle Eastern geopolitics and energy security.
