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CHINA PERSPECTIVE
TRUMP DROPS STRAIT OF HORMUZ TOLL AS BLOCKADE AND STRIKES ON IRAN RESUME
DOMINANT ANGLE
Beijing is assessing the strategic cost of the US reversal on the Strait of Hormuz, between the failed toll on the Gulf and strikes now targeting the land corridors connecting Iran to Central Asia, Russia, and China.
Dominant angle identified — does not reflect unanimity of this country’s media
ANALYSIS
Beijing, July 15, 2026. China views the Trump administration's decision to abandon its proposed 20% toll on freight passing through the Strait of Hormuz as a sign of American improvisation rather than a gesture of appeasement. The Chinese press frames this latest "flip-flop" as Washington's announcement of the tax on Monday, described by Trump as a legitimate "reimbursement" for the security provided on this route, which handles a fifth of the world's oil and gas, was scrapped after calls from Gulf leaders, in favor of investment agreements described as "MASSIVE" without specifying the amounts or signatories.
The blockade, however, remains in place. The Chinese government notes that the US maintains its ban on Iranian ships and their clients from using the strait, while other countries, according to Trump, have "fair and open" use of the waterway. CGTN reports that Iran, on its part, announced the temporary closure of the strait after an incident involving a ship, before a third wave of US strikes targeted nearly a hundred sites, including Bandar Abbas, Sirik, Jask, and Qeshm. Tehran retaliated against US installations in Kuwait, Bahrain, and Qatar, and struck radar systems in Oman.
One point catches the attention of analysts cited by the South China Morning Post: among the targets on July 9 was the Aq Taqeh Khan bridge in Golestan Province, a key node in the land corridor connecting Iran to Central Asia, Russia, and China - one of the routes used by Iranian trade when the sea is closed. According to analyst Peiman Salehi, the confrontation is no longer limited to the strait but extends to the supply chains themselves.
On the economic front, the barrel price rose to $84.78 on Tuesday, still far from the peak of nearly $120 reached in April. The South China Morning Post notes that Asia would be better equipped to absorb the shock this time, thanks to alternative trade routes and technological advancements related to artificial intelligence. The United Arab Emirates, meanwhile, announced that two of its tankers, the Mombasa and the Al Bahiyah, were hit by Iranian missiles in the strait.
KEY POINTS
- China's government is closely watching the developments in the Middle East as the US has abandoned its plan to impose a 20% tariff on oil passing through the Strait of Hormuz in favor of securing 'massive' investment deals with Gulf nations, although details on the amounts and signatories have not been disclosed.
- Beijing is monitoring the situation as a third wave of US airstrikes targeted nearly 100 sites, including the Aq Taqeh Khan bridge, which connects Iran to Central Asia, Russia, and China.
- As the price of oil surged to $84.78 per barrel, China is taking note of the escalating tensions, including the attack on two Emirati oil tankers, the Mombasa and the Al Bahiyah, which were hit by Iranian missiles in the strait, according to reports from SCMP and CGTN.
COGNITIVE BIASES IDENTIFIED
China's economic-centric framing: strong focus on the consequences for oil prices and Asian trade routes
Preference for official state sources (CENTCOM, IRGC) over Iranian or Gulf civilian voices
Limited coverage of diplomatic negotiations with Gulf monarchies, whose investment agreement terms remain vague
SOURCES (2)
CGTNCenter
STATE-CONTROLLEDSTATE MEDIA
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