US, China unite to oppose shipping tolls in Hormuz amid Iran tensions

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi held a phone call in April to jointly oppose any country imposing shipping tolls in the Strait of Hormuz, marking an unusual alignment between Washington and Beijing. The agreement came as Iran’s near-complete closure of the strait since joint Israeli-US airstrikes on February 28 has disrupted global energy markets, with the waterway handling one-fifth of the world’s oil and gas supply. The State Department confirmed the discussion, noting that both sides agreed no country or organization could charge tolls for passage through international waterways. This statement broke from the department’s usual practice of not releasing details of such calls. China’s embassy echoed the sentiment, emphasizing the need for safe and stable passage through the strait to serve global interests. Iran has demanded the right to collect tolls as a precondition for ending the conflict, while the US has imposed a naval blockade and previously considered tolls before backtracking under international pressure. Chinese officials have avoided directly addressing tolls but condemned the US blockade, despite maintaining strong economic ties with Iran, including as a major buyer of its oil. In a follow-up meeting, Wang Yi told Iran’s foreign minister that the international community shares concerns about restoring normal passage through the strait, while reaffirming China’s support for Iran’s sovereignty. China vetoed a US-backed UN resolution last month that called for protecting commercial shipping in the strait, arguing it was biased against Tehran. The US, alongside Bahrain, has drafted another resolution demanding Iran halt attacks and mining in the strait, though diplomats expect Chinese and Russian vetoes if it reaches a vote. The rare US-China stance highlights growing pressure on Iran to reopen the strait without tolls, though tensions remain over how to resolve the crisis without escalating conflict. Rubio reportedly raised the possibility of Chinese vessels paying tolls, suggesting Beijing could use its influence over Tehran to ease the blockade.